Be A Blessing

By Iola Goulton

My word for the year for 2016 was STILL, which I shared about last February.


As I reflected on last year, I realised ‘still’ has multiple meanings … and some of the less obvious meanings might have been more applicable. My initial interpretation was around resting in God, being still before Him:

But was I? 

I don’t know. It’s one of the complexities of Christianity (and perhaps life in general) that we always think we should be doing more—even if that ‘more’ is less. So no, I wasn’t as still as I’d wanted to be. But that doesn’t mean I wasn’t still.

Because ‘still’ has other meanings. The first is to continue as in the past. To be unmoving. To remain. Perhaps to endure. At times, 2016 did feel like a year I endured.

Yet …

I’m still a Christian. Still a wife. Still a mother. Still a daughter. Those are all good things, things I wouldn’t want to change.

On the less-good side, I haven’t done many of the things I said to myself that I wanted to do last year, like publish a book. That’s a lack of motion—another meaning of ‘still’. A negative meaning, in this context.

I was reflecting on the nature of still at the Omega Christian Writers Conference in Australia last October. Was ‘still’ still (!) the right word? Had I interpreted it wrong?

Was it time for a new word?

Then one lady I’d had a one-on-one meeting with at the 2013 conference came up to me. She thanked me for what I’d said during our meeting, because my words had blessed her. I met with several authors at that conference, but my meeting with this author was the one I remember because I was impressed with her ability to overcome and forgive.

She blessed me in 2013 by sharing her story, and she blessed me again in 2016 by thanking me. Her words were an encouragement that I was in the right place at the right time, both in 2013 and 2016. She reminded me that God had worked through me in 2013 to provide her with a word in season.

And she wasn’t the only person. Several other conferences attendees blessed me with their words and their actions in different ways.

During the last meeting at the 2016 conference, we were asked to come up with a word to describe our writing for the coming year (I think. It’s possible I’ve got this wrong!).

The word I chose was BLESSING.

I want to be a blessing to others. I want to be able to encourage people in their writing, and in their lives. I want my writing to bless others. And I want the books I edit to bless others.

So that’s my word for 2017: Blessing.

What about you?

About Iola Goulton

IOLA GOULTON lives with her husband, two teenagers and cat in the sunny Bay of Plenty in New Zealand, between Hobbiton and the Kiwifruit Capital of the World. She holds a degree in marketing, has a background in human resource consulting and freelance editing, is active in her local church and plays in a brass band.

Iola is a reader, reviewer and freelance editor who is currently writing her first novel, contemporary Christian romance with a Kiwi twist, and her first non-fiction book, which aims to help first-time authors navigate the changing world of Christian publishing.

Connect with Iola at www.iolagoulton.com, www.christianediting.co.nz and www.christianreads.blogspot.com.

Be still, by Iola Goulton

It's 2016, a new year, and over the last few weeks I've seen my social media news feeds full of people announcing their New Year's Resolutions (or plans. Or anti-resolutions.)

I've also seen many Christians announcing their word for the year. These words are typically encouraging, words like grace, peace, strong, challenge, balance, flourish. In fact, the “one word” movement is so popular it has its own website: www.myoneword.org. Their tagline: Change Your Life with Just One Word.

The My One Word movement comes from Pastor Mike Ashcraft, who uses the process in his church, both at an organizational and individual level. The idea is resolutions often centre on the negative: things we don’t like about ourselves, things we’d like to change. A long list of negatives that makes us feel bad about ourselves before we’ve even started. A long list that reduces our ability to focus.

In contrast, the My One Word challenge is about looking at who God wants us to become, and to pick one word on which to focus that positive change over the year.

My first thought in looking at the My One Word website was skepticism. I wasn’t convinced that one word can change a life. One person can: Jesus. But one word?

But then I got thinking . . .

Too many people have grown up with a wrong image of themselves, an image based on the words other people have used to describe them. Us. Words like stupid, fat, slow. Or twisting positive words so they come out sounding like a negative. Pretty. Intelligent. Sporty.

Sometimes we speak the negative words to ourselves. I’m too busy. I’m too sick. I’m too poor. I could never do that. Is that the truth? Or is it the lie we tell ourselves so we can avoid trying, avoid failing?

Words have power.

The words we think, the words we say, the words we write. The words we read. The words we hear.

Too many of us have spent our lives listening to the negative words from ourselves and others, allowing those negative words to rule in our lives. Instead, we should be listening to God. Some of us are simply too busy, too sick, too poor, to take time to listen to God.

Too busy is certainly one of my problems—when I first started thinking about this One Word idea, the word which came to me was overwhelmed. Hardly the stuff of inspiration.

But it made me step back, think about all I’d like to achieve this year, and how I’m going to do it. Feeling overwhelmed isn’t going to help. That’s the feeling that keeps me awake at night, wondering if I’ll be able to cram an extra few hours into the next day.

But then a verse popped into my mind. As they do.

Be still, and know that I am God (Ps 46:10, NIV)

Be still. Be still, and allow God to work in me, to plan for me, prepare the way ahead of me.

Be still.

It’s more aspirational than any list of resolutions I could have dreamed up. And more challenging. Yet there is a peace in the word that confirms God is in it.

Be still.

Be still, and know that I am God.

Do you have a word for 2016?

IOLA GOULTON lives with her husband, two teenagers and cat in the sunny Bay of Plenty in New Zealand, between Hobbiton and the Kiwifruit Capital of the World. She holds a degree in marketing, has a background in human resource consulting and freelance editing, is active in her local church and plays in a brass band.

Iola is a reader, reviewer and freelance editor who is currently writing her first novel, contemporary Christian romance with a Kiwi twist, and her first non-fiction book, which aims to help first-time authors navigate the changing world of Christian publishing.

Connect with Iola at www.iolagoulton.com (a work in progress she’s trying not to be overwhelmed by!) and www.christianreads.blogspot.com.

On Being an Encourager

   

 Last week, our Bible Study began with the question, "when have you been deceived by someone?"  Talk about a downer.  We dredged up old hurts -- it seems the teen years were particularly fraught with liars and cheats -- and tried to pretend we were over them.  Since we could all remember so clearly the circumstances of our betrayals, I'd suggest we weren't over them at all!  Since we were studying the days leading up to Jesus' betrayal at the hands of Judas, the question made sense,  but really, what a way to ruin the day!

    So, I decided to ask the opposite question.  "When have you been encouraged?"  Immediately, I felt better.  It seems I haven't forgotten those occasions either.  I remembered the teacher who told me I could pass geometry if I set my mind to it.  I recalled the camp counsellor who told me I could be a leader and I recollected the vocal coach who set high standards then showed me how to reach them.

   Just this past month, I've self-published two out-of-print books from my backlist.  Every step of the way, I met with encouragers.  Given my experience with traditional publishing -- a series of obstacles I must somehow get over in order to see my book in print -- the e-route was a revelation.  While I appreciate the way print publishing works, all those obstacles can be discouraging. Going the e-route, everyone from the cover designer to the formatter to the helpful fellow at Amazon urged me onward, made me feel I could do this.  Their enthusiasm sent me back to my wip with renewed excitement and a mind brimming with possibilities.  What a gift!

    Scripture exhorts us to encourage one another. Over and over Paul stresses the need for Christians to share each others trials and to boost each others spirits.  1 Thessalonians 5:11, Ephesians 4:29,  Philippians 4:8,
  1 Corinthians 14:3, 1 Thessalonians 4:18, Romans 15 
  Of course Jesus and the Holy Spirit are our greatest encouragers, John 16:33,   John 14:16. 
But the Bible gives us many examples of mortal men who used their power to help others along the road.
   Moses encouraged Joshua to take command of the Isrealite armies and lead them into the Promised Land. 
  Andrew encouraged his brother, Peter, to come to Jesus.
  Mordecai the Jew in the reign of Esther encouraged all his fellow Jews.
  Jonathan, son of Saul, encouraged David when Saul sought to kill him.
  The Apostle Barnabas is a prime example of one who encourages. Even his name means  “Son of Encouragement” or “ Son of Exhortation” Acts 4:36

    I think writers are wonderful examples of encouragers.  I belong to this group, RWA, and  various other writing organizations.  In each case I'm overwhelmed by the willingness of writers to share their experience, offer advice, mentor a newbie, and present a sympathetic shoulder, all without any expectation of recompense, except maybe that sympathetic shoulder when it's their turn.

    Earlier there was discussion on this blog about your word for the year.  I didn't participate because I couldn't think of a word that was big enough.  Now, that the party is half over, I think I've found my word -- encourager.

Alice Valdal lives in beautiful British Columbia, Canada with her husband and two cats.  She is very happy with her new book covers, designed by Dawn Charles at Book Graphics.

Visit her at  www.alicevaldal.com or at  facebook.com/#!/alice.valdal.5

Published Books.

            

Her One and Only

The Man for Her

Love and Lilacs

 The Man Who Loved Christmas

New Year, New Beginnings

Photo courtesy of Arvind Balaraman
/FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I love the anticipation of what a new year may bring. There’s something about the change in year heralding something new, fresh and vibrant in one’s life. As I only read last night in RELEVANT magazine, the new year offers a "psychological reset button."

I make a point of taking some time out to reflect on the year past and what is ahead. I typically will set some goals across all aspects of my life. My wife and I will do likewise to ensure we understand hopes and dreams plus identify specific targets for such things as home improvements, holidays, leisure activities and such like.

Interestingly, I find as we set off into January and pick up where we left off before the holidays, some or even a lot of that new year ‘spring’ has departed. I get immersed in the stuff of life.

Big Change

But the first few months of this year will be very different from those of recent years. My wife and I are relocating from Sydney to Melbourne in the next few weeks. Fiona has taken up a new role with her employer that is best served from the Melbourne Head Office.

Never having done such I’m expecting it to be a fairly big change. With new home and new city come new perspectives. There’s an absolute thrilling aspect to discovering all the many “new” things: neighbours, friendships, churches, jobs, restaurants, dog walks, the list goes on.

Yes, there is the humdrum of the move: finding a house that will take us and our two pups, packing up, unpacking and so on.

Then there’s the sadness of what we leave behind. Two adult kids, to start with, leaving us as earlier than expected empty nesters.

Distraction

Big changes can sometimes consume us and take too great a place in our minds. I know whenever I’ve changed jobs or had other significant change I have often grappled with being overly absorbed in the “new”.

And it’s at those times I’ve often taken my eyes off the Lord. Especially if my normal routines have been impacted, for example, leaving home earlier in the morning. Times spent with the Lord become rushed and the “dark woods of self-fulfillment” begin to take on a greater presence providing us with nourishment for the new journey.

Adoration

This year amongst all the upheaval I’d like to be more intentional about keeping Jesus as the guest of honour in my heart so as to keep those dark woods from encroaching.

“Henri Nouwen once asked Mother Teresa for spiritual direction. Spend one hour each day in adoration of your Lord, she said, and never do anything you know is wrong. Follow this, and you’ll be fine.”¹

It struck me on reading that I don’t spend much time on adoring the Lord. I’d like to get better at it, if such is possible.

I love how Sara Hegarty describes it:

“Adoration is breathing deeply of who He is and exhaling purity. It’s training my mind and my heart to look up.”

Okay, so there’s training involved. I’m up for it. Maybe not an hour a day, but we’ll see. I’m not sure what that looks like other than meditating on the Psalms, but I sensed “ADORE” should be my Word for 2015.

I’ll report back during the year with my progress. Be delighted if you keep me accountable to that too.

Anyone else doing something “BIG” in 2015? Birthing something new?

What practical steps do you take in adoration of the Lord? I’d love some suggestions.

Wishing all of the ICFW tribe a blessed 2015.

Notes: 1. Desire by John Eldredge, Thomas Nelson, 2007.

Ian Acheson is an author and strategy consultant based in Northern Sydney. Ian's first novel of speculative fiction, Angelguard, is now available in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. You can find more about Angelguard at Ian's website, on his author Facebook page and Twitter

Treasure

I gave up making New Year's resolutions long ago as I soon forgot them. Two years ago I came across the idea of choosing one word for the year. In 2011 I chose the word trust along with this verse:
"So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10 NIV)

I held my one word close though the year, and especially during a very stressful time. It made a huge difference and reminded me God was with me and in control of my life, no matter what the circumstances were. I didn't choose a word last year, but I've chosen one for 2013.

First I thought about the person I'd like to be by the end of 2013. I would like to be a person in a deeper loving relationship with God and my family. I would like to be someone whose life and writing point people to God.

Then I thought about the characteristics I'd have if I became that person. Here are some of them in random order.

I'd be:  loving
            compassionate
            unselfish
            kind
            patient
            trusting God
            seeking God's Will for my life
            obedient to God
            prayerful      
            hard-working
            committed to my writing
            disciplined
       
Lastly I chose one word to focus on that would help me to become a person with these characteristics—treasure.

The word treasure reminds me to treasure:
God's love for me
my Bible
my family
my friends
my time for working and leisure
the beauty of nature

The list is endless, but these are a few of the things I treasure.

Treasure reminds me of the real treasure in life—belief and trust in God, leading to a real life relationship with Him. If you would like to know more about this relationship you might like to read this article by ICFW author Shirley Corder 

The verses I have chosen to go alongside my word is:
'For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.' (2 Corinthians 4:6&7 NIV)

If you would like to choose a word for this year, take a look at  the My One Word website to learn more and to see some of the words people have chosen for this year and their reasons for choosing them. If you click on the Pick Your Word tab, you will find 3 simple steps to help you find your word.

If you choose a word, I'd love to know what it is and why you've chosen it. Please tell me about in the comments section below.