A Reason To Write - Shirley S. Tye

I enjoy writing fiction because my imagination is free to soar wherever and explore things, places, and events I may never encounter. It’s wonderful entertainment and a stress relief for me and sometimes readers are also entertained.

But Christian fictional stories are also excellent ways to teach life lessons. Jesus used simple short stories called parables to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. Since 2004, I’ve used my imagination to create scenarios to demonstrate life lessons. I read the stories to various audiences as “Aunt Shirley” in an animated manner. Sometimes I use props and/or get the audience’s participation.

When God gives me a topic, the story often flows quickly onto the paper. The stories are short and uncomplicated. They certainly are not bits of literary genius yet they get the message across.

As I read the stories, I wonder if the story is good or if anyone cares to even hear them. But to my surprise, the stories have always been well received and sometimes someone in the audience informs me that they felt the lesson was meant just for them. God has many ways of reaching people; even through my little stories. He’s amazing!

Some of the stories are written as humorous letters addressed to “Aunt Shirley” penned by her imaginary niece Mary-Lyn who is married to Stanley, a loveable but clumsy fellow. People have laughed heartily over the antics of those two characters and I enjoy dreaming up the crazy wild adventures. If a lesson wasn’t learned, then at least, people had a good laugh. And we know the value of laughter – “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” Proverbs 17:22 KJV.

Whether people learn something from the stories or just have a good belly laugh, they are encouraged. And that is the main purpose of my stories; encouragement. God has called me to be an encourager.