For marriage, words can be the most powerful advantage or disadvantage. We all know how a sweet compliment from our spouse can make our day. We also know how a disagreement over breakfast can ruin our day.
For parenting, words can be the most powerful trainer in your child's life. It's been proven that it takes 10 compliments or praises from a parent to cancel out one negative statement.
Words are powerful. Words can also impact groups and nations. In 1946 Frank Capra directed the movie "It's a Wonderful Life." He adapted it from a screenplay by Goodrich and Hackett. If you haven't seen it, it's a must! The moral of the movie is that no one is an island. Everyone has an influence over someone else. Because of that, suicide is never an option and neither is wishing you were dead. All of us can go back and find a "good" reason for our life. No matter how tragic the events of our life, there was some point where something we said or did changed the course of another person's life. That's why our actions matter. That's why our lives matter. We cause change to those around us. Anytime this movie played the theatrical owners receive letters from people who were contemplating suicide and change their minds because of the movie. The year it was released, thousands sent in letters. There have been thousands more since then.
I was thrilled to have another article published on line by Marriage Partnership and Kyria.com (a division of Christianity Today). The article was titled, Does Faith Hide Marital Abuse? and it was an explanation of how scripture can be twisted to keep victims in abusive marriages.
This article has once again taught me that all writers must be concerned about their holy calling. We must continue to write even when storms swirl around us. We must push even when everything seems to be stamped with rejection. Even when it seems we make more mistakes than we should, we must keep writing. God can't use our words unless we continue to produce words!
Early in the comments on my article a woman admitted that she was contemplating suicide. Several readers responded to her and so did I. Just yesterday she posted that she had decided not to commit suicide. I cried and prayed for her for hours. I was thrilled that she had found hope in the words I used.
Here's my hope for you. Anyone writing that article could have been used by God. It's not me...it's writing stuff that we know God can use. It's addressing the problems we see and using whatever form we like. Perhaps you use fiction better than poems. Whatever way is best for you - address the issues and write!
Writing has been painful for me lately. My 82-year old mother fell and broke her foot. I had to drive to Georgia and bring her here. She can't use crutches and I have to take care of her completely. She has dementia and Obsessive Compulsive disorder plus several immune diseases. It's been difficult for the last six weeks. Last Tuesday, my son when back to Georgia to get my 78 year old Dad. They both will be here until after Christmas. There's a lot to do for both of them. And...Ron still is without work, bla, bla, bla....
After talking with Jim Denney and Barbara Curtis I decided that perhaps God was teaching me a difficult lesson. Perhaps he wanted me to learn how to write in a Hurricane. I pushed to write the article for Marriage Partnership and to work on others. I'm still pushing to finish a book. A minute here, an hour there, stay up late, get up early, miss that function, sneak away from mother here......it all adds up to producing another piece of writing.
Please don't believe Satan's evil words. When he says, "You can't do that. Put it off. It's too hard. You just don't have time." - get back in his face and scream...."I'LL MAKE TIME".
I'm friends with someone who was a fantastic writer. He had several things published and could have had a prominent career. Unfortunately he let his daily life come before his writing. He used day to day life as an excuse for not producing. He's now very ill and may lose his life. He still talks about the book he wanted to write and the things he could have done. How sad for him and for the world that his time is gone and those ideas will never be shared with others.
Your writing is important. God can use you. Don't let the little things - or even the big things in life keep you from being used by God. Who knows, you may save a life or even a country!
God loves you and has called you to write,
Debbie
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