Ready, set, write!

Years ago, after being diagnosed with cancer, I sent an email to friends and family letting them know about the bump in the road of my life. It was a convenient and quick way to “notify” everyone about the diagnosis. During the days of treatments, I shared my thoughts and experiences with my family and friends through email updates. For me, those emails served as a way to sort through what was happening to me and my family, recognizing what God was doing in my life; and, writing gave me a way of expressing how I was dealing with this unexpected and uncharted season of life. For those receiving the emails, I considered them as simple updates on my journey, keeping them informed about my condition and my progress toward healing. But, after a few months, some of my “readers” urged me to compile those emails into a book because, as they told me, they had been encouraged by my updates. The thought was intriguing and the idea landed on my to-do list. But then as I finished my chemo treatments, regained my strength, and resumed my normal routine, the book-writing dream got pushed further and further down the list.

As time went by, I began to doubt that my journey would be of interest to anyone. I told myself I would get to it “someday,” but “someday” never seemed to arrive. Every now and then I’d pull out the old emails and start planning how to pull them together as a book, but I soon became overwhelmed with the task and set it aside again. I couldn’t think of a suitable title. I couldn’t find a block of time to devote to the project. “I can’t write something that anyone will want to read.” “My experience won’t help anyone.” “Who cares, anyway?!” The voice inside my head grew louder and louder, until it nearly drowned out my own conviction that this was God’s calling on my life at this season.

Change gears for a second: I love to read! And this week as I was consuming a new book by Max Lucado titled “Glory Days: Living Your Promised Land Life Now,” I heard another voice reminding me that God has given me a gift and an assignment. Max says: “Everybody gets a gift. And these gifts come in different doses and combinations. ‘Each person is given something to do that shows who God is.’ (1 Cor. 12:7 MSG) Our inheritance is grace based and equal. But our assignments are tailor-made.” I was convicted once again that God has called me to share what He has done in my life, and I’m wasting precious time by stalling.

Shift gears again: (Don’t worry, all these gear-shifts will all come together soon!) It so happens that I’m going through a particularly rough patch right now. I won’t waste words or time on details, but my particular position now is challenging, especially in the face of this renewed calling. Sometimes it seems like the challenge and the calling are conflicting, each pulling me in opposite directions. And so I keep praying for wisdom and guidance and clarity of vision. In another chapter of his book, Max challenges us to “Pray Audacious Prayers.” He cites examples of some audacious pray-ers: Martin Luther praying for the healing of a coworker; John Wesley praying down a storm at sea; Joshua praying for the sun to stand still while he finished off the enemy. He told of a friend who, when faced with the financial doom of his ministry, called on his organization to pray. And those audacious prayers turned things around, even in the midst of the “great recession.”

Putting it in “drive” … back to the book! I get it, Max, I have been given an assignment. So I’ve pulled my emails onto my laptop’s desktop in their own folder. Now every time I sit down in front of my laptop, there’s that folder staring at me saying “Are we there yet? Have you finally arrived at the place where you will stop procrastinating and start writing?” And I must confess, I let my eyes slide past it and ignore the voice calling me to open the folder and get to work.

While I was “stalled out” with my book earlier this week, I was reading my “Through the Bible in a Year” selection for the day – I’m currently reading the book of Hosea. I’ve read through the Bible a few times, so I know I’ve read this passage before, but that day I read a verse that seemed completely novel. There in that obscure little chapter was the perfect title for my book! Now the still small voice was SHOUTING at me: “Here it is … take it … start writing … no more excuses!” Since that day, I’ve been reading some commentaries of that passage … doing a bit of research – Okay, okay, okay … I’ve been stalling again!! Now that I’ve confessed my failure, let me confess my fear: I’m afraid I’ll fail to follow through again! I’m afraid to get started for fear I’ll never finish! I’m afraid I’m fooling myself to think I have anything worthwhile to share!

So I’m going to take Max’s advice and pray an audacious prayer; and like his friend, I’m going to ask my “organization” of family and friends to pray with me. Please pray that I will be inspired, motivated, and focused so that I can produce the words, the message of hope, that God has given me to share with others.

Part of my audacious prayer is in regard to my “rough patch” … would you pray with me, even though you don’t know details? Now, don’t waste precious prayer time speculating on the details – I’m healthy as a horse, and my marriage is solid – the rough patch is another area of my life that I’m not at liberty to share now. My audacious prayer is for a monumental miracle – the miracle may simply be that I’ll accept the rough patch, make the necessary changes, and move on. But I’m praying for a monumental miracle that will not only solve my problem, but will also bless others and honor God. Whatever the outcome, I can agree with Max when he says “believe that God is up to something good even though all we see looks bad….Let his promises settle over you like the warmth of a summer day. When everyone and everything around you says to panic, choose the path of peace.”

Well this post is about twice as long as a blog post is “supposed” to be! But before I sign off let me ask you to do one more thing. In addition to praying with me, and for me, would you share my blog with your friends and family? If I’m going to follow God’s call to share His message, I’ll need readers! And please share your thoughts in the comments. Your words may be just the message of encouragement others may need. Okay, so that’s three requests – pray, share, comment! Thanks for taking the time to “listen” to my heart! Next time I’ll share the book title I found in Hosea!