Yes or No?

“What would have happened to Mary (and to all the rest of us) if she had said No to the angel? She was free to do so. But she said, Yes. She was obedient, and the artist, too, must be obedient to the command of the work, knowing that this involves long hours of research, of throwing out a month’s work, of going back to the beginning, or, sometimes, scrapping the whole thing. The artist, like Mary, is free to say No. When a shoddy novel is published the writer is rejecting the obedient response, taking the easy way out. But when the words mean even more than the writer knew they meant, then the writer has been listening. And sometimes when we listen, we are led into places we do not expect, into adventures we do not always understand.” Madeline L’Engle

Whatever we write, when we are writing for the Kingdom, fiction or non-fiction, God has a purpose for that article, book or even a blog. That purpose may be to bring light to one person who has been in darkness, hope to someone who has been feeling hopeless. If a person is crying out to God He will answer that plea and you may be the one He has chosen to use, but if you say No, I’m too busy right now, what is lost?

At times our desperate cries to God seem to go unanswered, it is not because God did not hear, it’s because someone did not listen to His summons or they refused to respond with a Yes. Even though we are free to say No, we will be held responsible for our missed moments.

There have been many times in my life, and there will be many more, when I was the one calling out to God and He answered with words that someone was obedient to pen. I am indebted to those who said Yes.

Will you say Yes when He summons you?

Photos: Yahoo Images

IMPACT

Whose life are you impacting?
How much are you willing to abandon?
How much of what you do is chosen with self interest in mind?
Where do you put your energies, money and time?
What makes your gut twist into a knot and a lump form in your throat?

When are you going to do something?

There are two current movies, The Blind Side and Extraordinary Measures (debuting January 22nd) based on true stories, which have generated these questions in my mind.

I haven’t seen either of the movies, only their trailers. They are movies that bear witness to the impact we can have when we do something instead of uttering purposeless words implying that someone out there ought to be doing something.

As I look at the questions I have posed and apply them to myself they become a challenge to me as a writer. I must put aside my self interests, abandon myself to the story, put my energies, money, or lack of it, and time into writing stories that will impact lives. Anything less than that is dishonorable to God.

If my life is tangled with obligations, meetings, and activities I will miss the moments set before me, moments that may transform another person’s life and my own.

I’m at a loss to describe the ache inside me to become a person who can bring hope to another lost human being.

What do these questions mean to you?

Image: MorgueFile

2010 IS ON THE WAY

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY BLOGGING FRIENDS
It seems everyone is posting their resolutions, goals or plans for this new year which will make its appearance in 1 1/2 hours. I will make this post very short because this year is almost gone and you don't have much time to read it before 2010. :)
I want to give you a word from the Lord for your life:

I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. Jeremiah 29:11 Message

How can we worry and fear when we have this promise for our lives.

Image: Diane Shaw