My Reasons To Write - Carol Harrison

For years I never considered myself to be a writer. I had no plans to write, other than to journal my thoughts and feelings or keep track of important information on a calendar, but with a few extra details added. In fact, even though I had loved English and writing back in high school, I buried that desire to communicate in written form. I refused to acknowledge it when that form of creativity attempted to peek out of its hiding place.

Negative words, or perceived negativity towards pieces I had written in school and first year university bombarded my thinking and instead of talking it over with anyone else or even with God, I hid away any thoughts of writing for anyone else to read. For years I refused to acknowledge the one time enjoyment of writing, until I had convinced myself it was a distant, girlish dream unworthy to mention.

At the Saskatchewan WorDshop in February, Sheila Webster said, "Negative words we have heard in the past stop us from writing and speaking the words God wants us to use now."

Her words resonated with me, even though I have, for the last ten years, begun to write and speak in response to nudges God gave, with His help and wonderful people who encouraged me. Yet I still vividly remember the hurts, the fears and the wondering if I had words that should be heard or read. Other presenters and attendees reinforced this thought. I also heard it from Shelley Hitz at our Inscribe 2017 fall conference. She referred to these negative words as "creative injuries" that inhibit us from sharing the stories God plans for us to share.

Why should I write? What is my reason for telling stories? There are several reasons I write. I write to share the message God has given me.  I believe that our story matters, for through sharing these stories we can share what God has and is doing in our lives.

Psalm 78:1-4 says,
"O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in parables,

I will utter hidden things, things from of old- what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us, We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power and the wonder he has done."

Tell me the story of Jesus is one of the old hymns that helps me remember the importance of sharing the personal stories of God's working in my life and the Bible stories of Jesus, our hope, our Saviour, our everything. God can take the words he gives me to share and use them to help those who read them to be helped, encouraged, comforted, challenged or inspired.

 I also write to share and thus preserve family stories and memories. These stories will be available for my children and grandchildren to read, to enjoy and maybe to learn about previous generations and the role faith plays in my life. It is my legacy to give them the stories.  If anything is published it is a bonus because then people beyond my family can enjoy my storytelling too, the gift God has given.


 I write because it is the gift God has given me and I long to use it to help make the place I am better. The ideas tumble around in my mind, begging to be released. I write the ideas as they come - enough at times to fill a jar with slips of paper, if I chose that method to corral them, until I have time to fill them out for family, for submission and at times for the one other person God asks me to give the written story to. 

My reasons to write and speak form part of the mission statement I include in my bio to help me remember why storytelling is important in my life as well as help others know where I am coming from. I desire that God will receive the glory and that the words will touch others in His perfect timing.

I believe that as we share our reasons to write, as we attend events like Inscribe fall conference and the Spring WorDshops, we will make connections, be encouraged, glean nuggets of inspiration and share in times of prayer for and with each other. God will take those positive moments, those interactions, divine appointments and prayers and will heal the negative words of the past so the stories he wants us to tell will no longer hide but spring from their hiding places deep within us. What's your story?


  
As a speaker, published author and storyteller, Carol Harrison is passionate about mentoring people of all ages and abilities to help them find their voice and reach their fullest potential. She shares from her heart, telling stories from real life experiences and God’s Word to encourage people and help them find a glimmer of hope no matter what the circumstances. She believes we need to continuously grow in our walk with God and lives out her storytelling passion by speaking at women’s events and retreats, Bible Camps as well as school assemblies and church events. Carol is a wife, mother of four adult children and grandmother to twelve. She makes her home is Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.