Decorating with Our Words - Denise M. Ford

The beauty of our writing gifts is that we have the opportunity to disperse them daily.  We carefully select words that we offer to others through sentences or phrases strung together or alone to create meaning and to fulfill a purpose. 

Like a banner of paper flags draped over our walls we display our words, decorating with them, draping them over and onto others.

I refer to our writing gifts as plural entities, not merely as one single unit or effort.  I prefer to imagine that each of us has the unique opportunity to delve deep within ourselves and pull out endless ideas.  Every one of them perhaps begins with our own questioning, our own explorations.

Who do we believe ourselves to be?  Who passes into and through our lives and becomes a friendship, a relationship, or an acquaintance?  When and where do we find ourselves as these people help us become stronger, wiser, and surer?

How do we transform ourselves into being more aware of our place and purpose in this time and place?

Believe, Become, Be More.  I coined this phrase a number of years ago when I worked at a high school as an assistant to Special Needs students.  It seemed to arise from a simple desire to create a motivation foundation.  

Words, in the form of quotes or phrases, certainly can spur us on. Words can stir us to action.  Words can comfort us in our moments of silent heartache.  Words put to music may bring rejuvenating sleep, or courageous adrenaline.  These gifts we have within us, these words we can offer unconditionally.  Will our words be accepted and loved as we intended? Or will they be scrutinized and criticized, and our meanings be misconstrued?

Does the end result matter or is the prime purpose for us as writers to provide the words and then allow them to be believed by someone, or to become someone’s hopeful guide for becoming more than he/she could ever imagine?

When I studied great literature in the midst of acquiring my BA degree in English and Religion, I discovered the joy of being inspired by poetry, quotations, and essays.  I spent endless hours in the literature section of the campus library pouring through the pages of acclaimed authors.  Many snippets of these readings and quotations I copied onto index cards to keep within reach on my desk. Over the years this file of inspiring words grew.  Eventually I typed them into a template that I could print and cut up to create a stack of inspirational cards to give to others. 

It has occurred to me that I would like to create my own quotations that could perhaps someday be used to spur others to believe, become and be more in their lives.  I would like to know that something I have unwrapped as part of my gifts from God may touch the heart of someone else.  Words that both embrace this world and urge engagement in it, words that reflect both faith and trust in our loving Lord, and words which form inspiring legacies for future generations.

Someone once asked me what my greatest fear is.  My honest response, “to not be used in the way God intended me to be.”  I fear not fulfilling the intention He had when He breathed life into me.  As a writer I believe that I received the ability to appreciate the beauty of descriptive writing, how words are used to embolden and empower others.

I believe that as I become more confident in displaying my banners of words for “decoration,” I will be more comfortable with offering my gifts freely and unconditionally without fear of rejection or criticism. 

My daily prayer “Dear sweet Lord, please use me fully as You intended so that my words may be offered to spur others in their efforts, so that we may all believe, become and be more in this life.”

Ephesians 4:29  And never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth, but instead let your words become beautiful gifts^[ that encourage others; do this by speaking words of grace to help them.