TITHING THE GIFT OF WRITING

Does God care about the stories on our hearts?

Like many who read this blog, I’ve been seriously writing for ten years. Although some of my writing has been published in places that has blessed others spiritually, I’m still waiting for that contract with a traditional house that will actually pay me in cold, hard cash. Will the day ever come when I experience the thrill of seeing the glossy cover of my first novel in print? Steady on, oh beating heart.

But each time I think—the pursuit of a writing career isn’t meant for me. I should just hang up my proverbial ‘writing’ skates—the Lord does something to say, “No way, kiddo, I never said stop writing.”

Last November, events triangulated in my life so that I felt financially I could afford to take a year off from the dratted day job. I gleefully rubbed my hands, pumped to work solely on that oh-so-marketable novel that was going to BREAK IN.

Then…gasp…I felt the Lord say, I want you to put aside that fictional work that means so much to you, and write a story that is on my heart. And then His still small voice said, “Will you trust me enough, child?”

A very worthy but young Christian organization needed someone to write their story, but did not have the funds to pay for it. Would I trust the Lord enough to provide for my household’s need’s while I completed this assignment non-gratis? In other words, would I trust God to pay my wages? But perhaps deeper in the sinews of my heart I felt the yank—would I trust God with the desire of my writer’s heart?

The tug of this ministry’s story was too strong to ignore. How could any writer resist the adventures of modern-day missionaries, the testing of God’s power, fulfilling feats of faith? I sure couldn’t. I threw my financial needs into the lap of my heavenly father and set hard to work. Besides, what’s more important than helping people preach the gospel of Christ to the world? Life is too short to worry about building greater metaphorical barns and houses for myself…or even writing the Great American Christian Novel.

Seven months later, I’m 2/3rd’s of the way through this non-fictional work. Oh there are days I chomp at the bit to get back to my fictional world that glimmers on the horizon. My writer’s hunger gnaws when I see my peers signing a publishing contract. I massage those aching twinges of jealousy when another peer receives an award. I fight back that jealousy, and with God’s love clap my hands loudly, and yell out—online of course—“Author, Author”.

But as I tithe my writing gift by prioritizing this non-fictional work, God has taken my breath way with His provision. Someone once said you can never out-give God.

And folks, I do not share this with pride but humility, because I know many of you tithe your writing gift too. But from one writer to another, I’m wearing my heart of my sleeve to encourage that someone that may fret now and then—should I give up.

It doesn’t make any logical sense that while I’m not bringing in a ‘proper’ wage, that God in these last few months has eliminated ALL my household debt, lowered my monthly household expenses by the intricate transaction of our house sale. And from the office window in my new house, I look out on rolling pastures, mountains, and trees that couldn’t be more conducive to a writer’s imagination. I sit in my new office and sense the Lord has placed me in a setting so that I can fulfill the desires of my heart.

I took great care last November to not make any bargains with God as I committed to this task. I’ve been through enough life to know the Lord doesn’t barter for our faithfulness. He asks, and waits for our obedience. All I knew at the time was that He would provide what I needed...if I trusted.

Only thing is, He is such a wonderful father, and has given me more than I ever dreamed. How can I not continue to trust Him with the desires of my writer’s heart?

To read more about my writing journey, and the non-fictional book I'm currently writing, drop by and visit me at www.christinelindsay.com

DEVOTION: God's Writing a Story. (Shirley Corder)

Jeremiah 29:11—13: I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for. Then you will call to me. You will come and pray to me, and I will answer you. You will seek me, and you will find me because you will seek me with all your heart. 

“All stories should have a beginning, a middle and an end,” the speaker at our local writers’ group reminded us. I resisted the temptation to roll my eyes.

Way back in school days, my English teacher told the class this every time she set us an essay. Years later, I did a writing course by correspondence, and one of the first tutorials enlarged on the same principle. “Start with an opening paragraph that will catch your reader’s interest.” (You need a beginning.)

“Make sure that your story moves forward.” (There’s the middle). “After the main theme is complete, write a clear dénouement. In other words, end well.)

Some writers I know spend hours mapping out their story before they start. They plan the beginning, the middle and the end. They choose their characters and think of how they will develop during the story. Most important, they know how the story will end. Only once they have it all planned out are they ready to begin to write.

Others are like me—what they call “Seat of the Pants” writers. They may have an idea of the story’s general theme. They choose their characters, decide where to start, then off they go.

Which way is best? For the planners, theirs is the only safe way. For the SOTP writers, they prefer to let the story evolve and allow the characters to lead the way, provided they remain within the scope of the storyline. In both cases, these writers cannot work any other way.

During times of uncertainty, I find encouragement from the words of Jeremiah 29:11. I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for.

The Lord knew me at the point of my conception. (He was at the beginning). He has been with me through my childhood, my rebellious teens, and my years as a wife and mother. He helps me as I write, and encourages me when times get tough. (He has been with me throughout the middle of my life’s story.) Most important, He knows where my story is headed, how and when the story will end.

So God is a planner. When things happen in my life that I didn’t expect, they don’t take Him by surprise. He knows what He wants of my life, and He will help me to reach that goal. I only need to stay close to Him.

At the same time, God has given me a free will. He allows me to develop my own ideas, make my own decisions, as long as they stay within His basic plan. When I realise I have gone off track, the words of Romans 8:28 reassure me. In all things God works for good with those who love him. God is there to steer me back in the right direction. He will work out events as they unfold.

What a wonderful combination—a God who has planned my life, but also allows me the freedom to be “me”. How good to know that the Writer of my life not only knows the beginning and the middle, He knows the end. He will not allow my life’s story to “fizzle out”. He will bring it to a satisfactory conclusion—according to His plan.

THINK FURTHER: Is there an action God would like you to take? Does He want you to interact in a specific way with one of the other characters in your life story? What is God’s plan for you, today?

SHIRLEY M. CORDER  is an RN, a pastor’s wife and a mother, but she never expected to be a published writer. A close encounter with aggressive cancer in 1997 changed everything, and now well over 120 of Shirley’s inspirational and life-enrichment articles have been published around the world. You can contact Shirley through her website or follow her on Twitter.