The
theme of this month's blog, “Praying As I Write” reminds me of my prayer anemia
condition. In my reading about anemia I learned red blood cells take or
transport oxygen to the body. If the red blood cell count is below normal then
the body becomes anemic and that is a problem. A person becomes tired, fatigued
due to lack of oxygen. Okay, enough of my attempt at science!
I
realize prayer anemia is a condition I can help alleviate. I also ask the Lord
to forgive me for being neglectful in prayer. Is it that I don't pray? No!
Prayer is in deed part of my life. I'm just not a model of prayer other people
would copy. I’m still a work under construction. At times my prayers are
downright weak.
Included
in the writing prompt this month is the following question. “Tell us of a time
God infused your ideas and writing with His thoughts and desires?” Perhaps the
following experience gives an example of this.
I
may have mentioned in a previous blog post that I was once a closet writer. No
one saw what I wrote. It took me years to allow other people to read my pieces.
I was afraid. I couldn't figure out why God would give me such a gift yet I was
scared to show it to anyone. I knew things had to change in order for me to
take my writing seriously.
I
have always loved to write ever since I was in elementary school. This carried
over to high school, college then seminary. It was when I was in my early
forties and in Bible College for the second time I was convinced I was a
writer. A couple of the instructors encouraged me by suggesting that after
marking my essays they noticed something about my train of thought in how I
wrote. They both said that my essays went deep into the topic at hand. This was
staggering to me. It had to be a "God thing." It still took me a few
more years to launch into serious writing but I no longer kept my writing in
the closet.
After
years of writing timidity I came to a freeing realization. I can write. I can
really write! I can write and there are people who appreciate what I write.
This has caused me to approach the words I put on a page with caution and
respect.
I
know God uses my writing in ways that astound me. He does this in spite of my
prayer anemia. It astounds me that I have had many encouraging comments from
people who recognize I have a gift for writing.
It
is in the fact that God may use my writing to help someone that motivates me to
continue to write. I pray the words I write will form a community of thoughts
pleasing to the One who called me to be a writer. In doing so prayer anemia
will be a thing of the past!
Your professors certainly discerned something about your writing, Alan. I find your 'authorly' voice to be full of joy and wonder, yet you also manage to address topics that are often quite deep or even difficult emotionally. I'd call it 'delightfully deep'. Keep on writing, my friend!
ReplyDeleteHi Tracy! Thank you once again for your encouragement. I like that term "delightfully deep." Yes, I will definitely keep on writing my friend! :)
ReplyDeleteAlan,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your writing journey with us. I’m glad that God is giving you the courage to share your writing with us and others. I enjoyed your analogy to anemia. We all have prayer anemia at times. Thankfully the Holy Spirit helps our weakness and uses us to bring glory to God.
Hi Ruth! Yes, I'm amazed how He blesses our words. With InScribe I really appreciate how encouraging we are to each other.
DeleteYour image of "prayer anemia condition" is apt, Alan, and, fortunately or not, strikes a chord with me. Sometimes our prayer cells are not as oxygenated as they should be for us to thrive spiritually.
ReplyDeletePrayer is a big part of my life, but nothing I would dane to call exemplary. I need frequent infusion of the Holy Spirit to keep this unworthy vessel afloat. In the New Testament, Jesus recognized broken or unworthy vessels, but he did not consider them useless. Is it not miraculous that God can use us, imperfect as we are, to further his gospel?
Instead God emboldens us. As Paul said, "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline." Maybe that is why we continue our writing. Thanks, Alan, for these thoughts that have spoken boldly to my heart and soul.
Hi Sharon! I have this thing where even after over forty years as being a Jesus follower, I'm still amazed He uses me. I still have a sense of timidity in me perhaps showing my lack of faith. It is wonderful we have each other to support and hold each other up. Blessings Sharon!
ReplyDelete