What was a time in your life when you've thought this? Maybe you got a poor grade on a school assignment and you knew you deserved better. Or perhaps a friend got angry with you for no reason. Or some authority in your life assigned you an extra task or maybe some extra blame.
So many times, it feels like we don't deserve what happens to us.
But hold on, before we start to pity ourselves too much, let's look at this another way.
"Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:12-14).
I read these verses today and came to grips with the fact that I don't deserve this. I don't deserve this redemption God has given me.
"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life" (Romans 5:8-10).
Thanksgiving is coming up. This year, let's allow the awe of not deserving redemption but receiving it anyway bring us to our knees.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Friday, November 1, 2013
Why I Write
What makes you do what you do? Was there some trigger in your childhood? Or do you perhaps have a learned passion--something you didn't expect to like? Do you even know why you love what you do?
I've been writing since I was a child, but I couldn't tell you why I started. It happened. I wrote, and I never stopped.
Perhaps sometimes the real question is, regardless of why we begin something, why do we continue it?
Recently I was reminded of one of the reasons I write. In attempts to get more familiar with the contemporary YA market in Christian books, I started doing some reading on my Kindle. In the process, I ran across the book Tournaments, Cocoa, and One Wrong Move by Nancy Rue.
I didn't entirely agree with the way God's Word was treated in this book. In one place I thought the Bible translation/paraphrase being used was completely wrong as it almost inferred incorrectly that Christ wasn't God (though I have to believe it was an unintentional error).
But other than that ... this book was a take-your-breath-away-it's-so-real picture of a teen girl looking for what really matters in life. It struck a chord in me so strongly that it stayed on my mind even when I wasn't reading it. I felt at the end I had been on the main character's difficult journey, and I was moved to tears by a realization of the things that really matter in life, loving God and people.
That, my friends, is the goal for my writing. I don't want to write a book that just excites readers or gains me popularity. I want to write books that encourage today's teens to go to their knees before God and want more of Him.
So think about it. Why do you do what you do?
I've been writing since I was a child, but I couldn't tell you why I started. It happened. I wrote, and I never stopped.
Perhaps sometimes the real question is, regardless of why we begin something, why do we continue it?
Recently I was reminded of one of the reasons I write. In attempts to get more familiar with the contemporary YA market in Christian books, I started doing some reading on my Kindle. In the process, I ran across the book Tournaments, Cocoa, and One Wrong Move by Nancy Rue.
I didn't entirely agree with the way God's Word was treated in this book. In one place I thought the Bible translation/paraphrase being used was completely wrong as it almost inferred incorrectly that Christ wasn't God (though I have to believe it was an unintentional error).
But other than that ... this book was a take-your-breath-away-it's-so-real picture of a teen girl looking for what really matters in life. It struck a chord in me so strongly that it stayed on my mind even when I wasn't reading it. I felt at the end I had been on the main character's difficult journey, and I was moved to tears by a realization of the things that really matter in life, loving God and people.
That, my friends, is the goal for my writing. I don't want to write a book that just excites readers or gains me popularity. I want to write books that encourage today's teens to go to their knees before God and want more of Him.
So think about it. Why do you do what you do?
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