September 02, 2012

Stepping Stones - M. Laycock



A friend posted a cute photo on Facebook a while ago. It's a picture of a baby's foot about to step down onto a round piece of salt dough. The recipe was included and the suggestion that one should be done each year and made into a path of stepping stones. A great idea for new moms.

It's also a great idea for writers, to do this metaphorically. I had occasion to follow a trail of stepping stones a while ago as I pulled out an old manuscript. I had a few versions of the piece so I could see the progress clearly, just like a series of stepping stones made of a child's footprints. It was humbling to see all the mistakes I had made in the beginning, but encouraging to see how much I had grown over the years.

It's a worthwhile exercise to look back at the work begun when we were baby writers. And it's a worthwhile exercise to look back at our lives to see what stepping stones we have made as believers in Christ. The Old Testament is full of places where God told His people to look back and remember. He often told them to mark a significant spot with stones or an altar built to glorify Him.

As writers of faith, we can do that by writing the testimonies, the stories, the articles and poems that glorify the God who has led us from the moment of our conception. Then we can look forward to all that He will continue to do in our lives and in our work, trusting that He will work in and through us as He has in the past.

"and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan from right where the priests stood and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight to serve as a sign among you." Joshua 4:3-6

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Abundant Rain, Marcia's devotional ebook for authors is now available at Amazon.com
Visit her website for more of her writing and speaking ministry

4 comments:

  1. I enjoyed your analogies, Marcia. Sometimes it's easy to get discouraged, but often a look back helps restore our perspective.

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  2. Yes, these analogies are wonderful. I did this very thing with my kids hands when they were young.

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  3. Thanks for the comments, ladies. :)

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  4. It's pretty scary looking back at my earliest writings! I guess when I get discouraged with where I am, that backwards look is always encouraging to see how I've progressed!

    Pam M.

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