Marble Canvass

I work well with word pictures. My mind dances around pictures and words as art - but I learn from these pictures; about who I am, about where I'm going, about how I can help others.

I find a blank piece of paper or a blank document on my computer exhilarating - full of possibilities. I don't see a daunting task, rather an opportunity.

I have noticed, though, that writing is different from other art forms. Not that I am an expert on all things artistic. I picture part of the process of writing as chipping away at a marble slab. Michelangelo, the creator of the renaissance masterpiece "David", once answered a question about the process of creating such a beautiful work of art. When asked how he accomplished such a task he simply (or maybe even comically) answered, "I just chipped away anything that was not David."

Profound.

The problem, or rather process, a writer faces is that I don't get to start with a marble slab. I have to create the marble slab and then chip away at everything that isn't "True Grace." I start with a blank document and must fill the empty spaces with something to chip away at.

I admire the writers that have forged the way ahead of me. I can glean from their insight, learn from their struggles and hopefully curtail much of the needlessly painful process.

And fill those empty spaces I am doing. I read through the rough, raw and imperfect and see such possibility. I see a lot of what is and isn't True Grace, but I refrain from hacking away just yet. There is much of the story to still be told.

Wrestling Unmatched

One of the foundational tips of advice from all the magazines, blogs, books and authors I've read, is that a writer needs to know who their audience is. Who are they speaking to?

I purposefully avoided this question, thinking it would just flesh itself out, which it did, but I denied what I discovered (for three years). I didn't like the answer.

This past week, two dynamic and challenging friends (thank you Ryan and Justin) put me on the spot and asked me questions about the books. They wanted to know the overall plot, theme and audience. Yes, it actually came out of their mouths, almost simultaneously. (I'm listening!)

I told them what I wanted the answer to be and then laughed uncomfortably spilling the beans that I think God is taking it in a different direction; one I don't agree with. They challenged me to rethink my resistance; they know this isn't my story to write, I'm just along for the ride.

I've never said otherwise. This story is God's; I am just blessed to get to be the one to learn the lessons and write them into a beautiful word picture. I laughed it off, but was uncomfortable with how right they were.

So I wrestled, but with God it's always an unfair match. I tried to persuade him why my preferred audience was better for me. He humored me and let me wrestle Him. I tried to manipulate elements of the story to read for my audience. It didn't come out right.

The moments I shut off my agenda and just write, the Holy Spirit makes an entrance into my soul and breathes life into dirt. The story comes out beautiful, and I am just a spectator for the majority of it!

So, yesterday, I stopped wrestling and made a declaration to God that I was on board for what he wants to do... again.

True Grace is a spiritual thriller written for young adults. I have my reasons for why I wanted to write to adults; those reasons were selfish and unfounded. I look forward to this journey. With my resistance gone I look forward to the opportunities and obstacles that this genre presents.

Now you have it - and so do I - and, ultimately, God's really the one who's got it.

Faith

Faith is the catalyst to do something remarkable. The spark that ignites your ability to move beyond disbelief, doubt and even logic.

Hebrews 11:1 "Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen, it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."

Sometimes we appear to be crazy, irrational, and downright dumb to the world, but in our faith (read craziness) we move forward into realms deemed impossible by anyone who is paralyzed by logical movement.

It doesn't make sense for me to think that I have a voice worth hearing, a message worth sharing or a goal worth achieving; but I do press forward with blind faith, a confidence that precedes fear, and perseverance that overcomes any obstacle.

What are you hearing from the spirit of God that sounds crazy? Just ponder that for a moment.

What is the greatness that God has put in you to achieve things outside of your ability? What do you have in your hand that you can work until your fingers are bloody, to the ends of your ability, when only God can carry you further? Have you stepped from beyond your means into the realm of the unknown - the point your ability ends and greatness takes over? Sometimes it takes that great measure of faith to exhaust your resources, because that is when we "allow" God to move in our life.

I believe in my own life that God waits patiently for me to stop messing around and truly come to the end of myself, for Him to go the rest of the distance (or in some cases give me the ability to work in a miracle when I had no other means).

Crazy faith; it's not supposed to make sense - I'm ready to step from the realm of possible, into the realm of impossible.

Whispers

I notice myself in these seasons where one specific conviction, change or lesson seems to come up over and over again, louder than other ones. But it tends to creep in a whispers, ironically. Whether it is the message I am gleaning from my quiet time (right now I am stuck on Matthew 25:14 - 30), sentences that jump off a page in a book or physical and tangible "practice" in the real world; one specific thing tends to be a focus of my learning.

I can't say for sure, I never try to speculate what God is saying or doing, but sometimes it seems He is prepping me for my next season of difficulty or tribulation.

So, drum roll please... the current one is perseverance. The "P" word has come up in dreams, books, scripture, conversation, prayer, coaching and in general in my life as of late. This one has been a go-to lesson a lot since I became a Christian, but it has circled back around, again.

You may see the glaringly obvious - my "new" venture into writing - but I don't want to be narrow-minded enough to think that that is the only area in which I will need perseverance. So, my friends, hang on, because if you're attached to me in the least bit, we may all be in for a ride!

Prayerfully and humbly, I will be fighting through this season with perseverance; may the whispers be enough to grow my faith, sharpen my discipline, deepen my friendships and strengthen my character. Be blessed!