As I blew out the 80 candles on my birthday cake, my thoughts were filled with gratitude for all these many good years! At the same time, I couldn’t help but ask myself how best to use whatever years were left for me to serve the Lord well. My heart’s desire has been to meet my Lord in the company of an army of souls that I’ve invited to join me! Not being a very extroverted type, most of my words have been in reflective writing that I’ve shared with a few friends and a lame attempt at blogging. “Yea, two people read something today!” let me know that my army was going to be pretty small. A little voice (the Holy Spirit?) had been whispering in my ear lately, to encourage me to find a way to reach a larger audience with the fruit of my many years of following Jesus. I bit the bullet, and signed up for Praise Writers’ on-line writing class, hoping to gain some help in reaching my dream before my time was up! It was geared to help writers learn the basics of how to write and where to go with it.
What struck me first was the reality that the gift of writing the Lord had blessed me with was indeed a mandate, to be cultivated and broadcast, spreading the seeds that had been sown in my heart that they might land and take root in others’ hearts, to produce the beautiful garden the Lord envisioned. I didn’t want to stand before the Lord on judgment day with my talent buried in the ground.
The course offered many great practical points, from time blocking to the need for community. My random and sporadic writing reflections needed to be trained, and given much more of a priority than I had ever allowed them. A highlight of the course was a half hour time with the director, Claire Dwyer, who offered some concrete suggestions and encouragement for moving forward. Access through Praise Writers to great interviews with established writers provided more direction and inspiration.
Today, moving toward 81years, I remember that Moses only began his main ministry at age 80! It’s not too late for me, as I’m committed to making the time to share the goodness of the Lord with my new tools that have been tried and proven by others before me.
Lord God, thank you for not giving up on me, but rather offering the grace of a new day, a new approach, and a fresh outpouring of Your Spirit to bring to fruition the gifts you’ve blessed me with. May Your grace not be given in vain, but rather nourished and cultivated to achieve the end for which you sent it! Anoint the words given me to share, Lord, that they may bring blessing to all who may read them, and encouragement to others who may think it’s too late to follow a dream 🙂
Spiritual Sun Pennies 