Writing That Makes My Heart Sing by Steph Beth Nickel

It was far easier to think of works by other authors that make my heart sing, some of which I share below, than it was to think of my own writing that qualifies. Still, I wanted to share a few aspects of the writing process that I enjoy.

SURPRISE! When I sit down at my computer with the seed of a new idea and start to write and things come together more quickly and more surprisingly than I thought they would, I'm reminded of the adventure that writing can be.

And at the other end of the process...When God uses something I've written to encourage, instruct, or entertain a reader, I am absolutely, positively over the moon. Is there a better feeling than that?

Sidenote: Revising my work to make it better is necessary and can be very rewarding—when the work is done—but the song that comes to mind during this process is “The Song That Never Ends” by puppeteer Sherry Lewis. <grin>

And now a few notes about works by other authors...

Memoir that draws me in can make my heart sing, although, at times, the tune and lyrics are sombre and heart wrenching. Punching the Air, a memoir by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam, is written in verse and goes straight to the heart. Warning: language.

And speaking of poetry...

Whether it's thought-provoking, such as Punching the Air, or a lighthearted children's book by an author such as P.D. Eastman or Dr. Seuss, verse can make my heart sing and, sometimes, a smile spread across my face. Even at 61, I love a well-written picture book.

After reading No Wonder They Call Him the Savior, I dubbed Max Lucado a poet who writes in prose. Lucado has a way of taking the simple yet profound truths of God's Word and painting a mental picture that allows these truths to sink deep into my spirit.

Devotionals that the Lord uses to give me fresh perspective on familiar passages and remind me of the awesomeness of Truth are the most life-changing nonfiction works I have the privilege of reading. Bonus: I know many of the authors, and that gives me an even greater sense of connectedness.

I enjoy a wide variety of fiction genres: suspense, cozy mysteries, sweet romances, clean romcoms, fantasies…

Fiction that grabs me by the throat and won't let go is my favourite. Frank Peretti's This Present Darkness is the first book I can remember taking with me wherever I went—although, I pretty much always had a Nancy Drew Mystery close at hand for much of my youth. I even tried to wash the dishes while reading Peretti’s book. (I'm definitely thankful for the advent of audiobooks, which makes consuming content so much easier while doing other tasks.)

And, as I mentioned earlier...

When a portion of scripture seems to jump off the page, whether to convict or encourage me, my heart sings, knowing the God of the Universe speaks to His children through words penned hundreds, some thousands, of years ago.

Let's Talk Books (The Accidental Memoir) by Brenda Leyland

The Accidental Memoir

The Remarkable Way to Write Your Life Story

____________________

Authors: Eve Makis & Anthony Cropper

Publisher: 4th Estate, Imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, London, UK, 2018 edition

Length: 128 pages

Hardcover Only: $20.47 Cdn | Shipped from UK via Amazon

Subject: writing guide | memoir writing | self-discovery

"That’s the beauty of writing about personal experiences:

With the right encouragement, everyone can do it.

Everyone is an expert of their own life."

Eve Makis, from her article on Lithub.com, May 6, 2019

Here's an interesting book you might want for your memoir writing tool kit. Whether you are thinking about gathering your own memories or know someone who needs to tell his or her story but doesn't know where to begin, The Accidental Memoir might be the tool to get you started. I was drawn to the book when I read Eve Makis's heartwarming story of how she encouraged her aging dad, a reserved and non-talkative man, to write down some of his stories—she knew little of his life. One Christmas she created a simple notebook with 'bespoke' prompts she hoped would trigger his memories and motivate him to write them down. At first, Eve says, he was underwhelmed by her gift (that probably would have been my dad, too), but from his eyes she knew he liked it. A month later he came to her house with notebook in hand; pages had been filled in; memories were flowing.

Eve's notebook idea was later developed "as an Arts Council project to help people tap into their own lives. Working with diverse groups from refugees to the elderly and prisoners, it has been a resounding success in unearthing stories that otherwise may never have been told." So says the online product description.

The book provides a great way to capture bits and pieces of your history. The prompts and accompanying illustrations are imaginative, with space to jot down a few thoughts. Filled in, the book itself can be a keepsake. Or it can be used as a reference when fleshing out more in-depth essays and memoir pieces. With dozens of engaging prompts, who knows what powerful insights you will capture once you begin.

To give you an idea, here are two samples I filled in:

"Write about a time when someone left home. A sibling, child, a parent or partner. What effect did it have on you?"  I was the oldest and it was me who left home first. At the time, I didn't realize the impact it had on my family. Then my mom told me how much she missed me when I went away to college and how she'd go to the post office, sometimes a couple times a day, during a mail strike, hoping against hope that maybe mail still got through. I'll never forget how homesick I was but, in truth, I hadn't really considered how much she missed me or how odd the empty chair at the table must have felt to my little family. This prompt gave me pause to reflect on their perspective as well.

The second example, well, take a look at the page above. The prompt says, "On the opposite page draw a map of where you lived as a child. Annotate. Add street names, neighbours, play areas, local shops...". I wrote a few lines about growing up on our small farm in northerly Alberta. As I penciled in my little map, how the memories floated up. Our farm, and our neighbours' farms, one to the south and one adjoining to the west, made it easy to meet up with playmates our age. The whole farm became our playground, and what fun we used to have—roaming fields and meadows, testing creek depths, climbing old rock piles, picking Saskatoon berries, whiling away long summer afternoons.

The book is co-authored by Eve Makis and Anthony Cropper. Both are successful authors in the UK. Eve worked as a journalist and radio presenter before becoming an award-winning novelist. Anthony writes novels, short stories, and his play won an award for Radio Drama. He teaches creative writing in the UK and abroad.

"When you've finished all the assignments, pull the

printed part of the book away and you'll be left with

a well-structured, evocative memoir."

Alexander Masters, Foreword, The Accidental Memoir

The Accidental Memoir can be used for anyone desiring to document their lives, leave a legacy, or relive some of those magic moments of the past.

Inspired by the beauty of God's world around her, Brenda Leyland happily writes from her home in northerly Alberta, Canada. She shares on her blog It's A Beautiful Life and Facebook page.

What Makes My Heart Sing? - Bruce Atchison

 

 For me, there's nothing more important than truth. Our arch enemy knows it sets people free. Like Christ said in John 8:31 and 32 (Bible in Basic English), "Then Jesus said to the Jews who had faith in him, 'If you keep my word, then you are truly my disciples; And you will have knowledge of what is true, and that will make you free.'"

Being able to know the truth also helps us resist the Devil and cling to Christ. As Peter admonished his readers in 1 Peter 5:8 and 9, "Be serious and keep watch; the Evil One, who is against you, goes about like a lion with open mouth in search of food; Do not give way to him but be strong in your faith, in the knowledge that your brothers who are in the world undergo the same troubles."

Old Testament worshippers also felt the wonder of God's holy law. Psalm 119:165 exclaims, "Great peace have lovers of your law; they have no cause for falling."

Falling is what causes people to turn from the truth. We read in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, "Now as to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and our meeting with him, it is our desire, my brothers, That you may not be moved in mind or troubled by a spirit, or by a word, or by a letter as from us, with the suggestion that the day of the Lord is even now come; Give no belief to false words: because there will first be a falling away from the faith, and the revelation of the man of sin, the son of destruction, Who puts himself against all authority, lifting himself up over all which is named God or is given worship; so that he takes his seat in the Temple of God, putting himself forward as God."

We can depend fully on what the Holy Spirit inspired the scripture writers to write. As Jesus said in John 17:17, "Make them holy by the true word: your word is the true word."

So important is God's word that Jesus quoted it when tempted by the Devil. Matthew 4:4 records, "But he made answer and said, 'It is in the Writings, Bread is not man's only need, but every word which comes out of the mouth of God.'"

May you always remain in the truth.

You'll find me in my Words - Gloria Guest

The first poem I wrote was at the age of seven for my father. I poured out my love for him in my attempt at a father’s day card. When I was eight I wrote a poem for my mother. It was something about her smiling face, cheerful ways, helping me with my weed collection (ha-ha), and how to ‘housewife’ when I grew up. Those two poems were the buds from which my love for writing would grow. From there I wrote short stories for my language classes throughout school and learned that I loved to write. Finding my voice through writing made my heart sing.

In grade twelve, I wrote a story for a competition that centred on a small town in Saskatchewan. It was a fictional story but contained elements of my experience of living there for a few weeks when I was a young teenager. I was surprised when I placed first in Alberta for my entry. Looking back though, I think I can see what the judges saw. I had stepped into the pages of that story with all of my vulnerabilities and teenage angst shining forth. I had been unceremoniously ‘transplanted’ from a serene, quaint, southern Ontario town with all the amenities that I was used to, to a middle of nowhere, dusty hamlet on the prairies, and to make it even more absurd to a soon to be fourteen year old, our house had no indoor plumbing! I was convinced that I had stepped into a time warp and was never coming out! Yet, without writing about those actual horrors, you can feel them hanging in the lines between the story. I’m walking between my words; my transplanted yet refusing to be rooted soul.

As an adult I took on the role of reporter for a local newspaper, a dream I'd had since I'd graduated. I loved all aspects of it, especially the building of a story from the interviews that I did. I also wrote lifestyle columns for various newspapers where I had free reign to play out parts of myself, sharing every day, yet thought-provoking pieces, usually with snippets of humour woven in. I revelled in writing those columns and when someone mentioned something I’d said, my heart sang a song of happiness.

I write poetry still. I’ve found it a lovely and practical tool to express some of my deepest thoughts, hurts and experiences from my life. Each word has to be carefully crafted to mean something and earn its spot. In the process, one has to pay close attention to the carriage of emotions, and how to translate them best. It may look simple on a scrap of paper, sparsely typed in four or five stanzas but it’s a carving out of the heart for me. When I finally sit back, the rythm of the poem is played back for me, like a song. 

I also write memoir. It’s in this genre that I journey back into my past, gaining new perspectives, and mining areas of my life that I’d never seen before for new insight; it’s where I grow the most as a person and as a writer. It’s also here that vulnerability becomes so important; there is no well-written memoir without an exposing of one’s soul. And it’s an invitation; in the hopes of being a little more known and helping my reader to get to know themselves just a little more too.

My heart can be found in all of my writing in some way or fashion. And I’m grateful for each reader who meanders with me through my pathway of words.

 

Gloria writes from Caron, Sk; a small hamlet on the prairies. Along with many published articles andcolumns in various newspapers, she enjoys writing fiction, creative-non fiction, poetry and memoir. Currently she is working on a small poetry booklet about Saskatchewan, along with taking editing classes from Simon Fraser University.

The First Twig ~ Valerie Ronald

                                                                           

                                                                                                                                   painting by Peter Ward ©

In a tree just outside my living room window, a pair of blue jays is nesting. I watch them flitting about the branches of the sturdy cedar for a few days. They bring twigs and bits of string, even a shoelace, to tuck into a three-branched crook of the tree until a nest takes shape. They can’t see me on the other side of the glass but I have a birds-eye view of their homemaking. Eventually they take turns sitting on their eggs and soon I hope to see baby blue jays peeping over the edge of the nest.

I marvel at how God perfectly designed my blue jay neighbors to seek out a safe, hidden place to build a nest. Although it looks rickety, their nest withstands some strong winds and rains, so they chose well. They had the urge to create a nest, and so began with a single twig. Watching them reminds me of my writing process, especially the formative stage of a new project.

That moment ˗˗ that first “twig”, is what makes my heart sing as a writer ˗˗ the instant when my imagination is caught by a what if.

What if ˗˗ someone’s life is changed when they take up residence in an old church?  

What if ˗˗ the daffodil farm where I used to walk is the setting where an old heart wound is healed?

What if ˗˗ my husband’s worn leather work glove is a picture of a life filled with the Holy Spirit?

What if ˗˗ God is asking me to write my own life story, even the painful parts, so others may learn about Him?

Without that initial moment of God-given inspiration, I could not put a single word on a page. Whether I am seeking a theme for an assigned writing project or just sending out my writer’s radar for new ideas, when the moment hits, I know it. I feel an almost physical jolt of energy, or the proverbial light bulb flashing on, when God gifts me with a new writing idea. I even have a name for such a phenomenon. A shining moment.  

After decades of writing, I have developed my own writer’s eye, or way of looking at and experiencing aspects of life around me as a potential writing subject. How can I incorporate that little girl’s laugh I overhear into a playground scene? Is there a new way to describe the autumn foliage I enjoy every year? How does a prairie thunderstorm mirror turmoil in a character?

Since fresh inspiration is important to me as a writer, then I must actively look for those shining moments. I must “listen to the silence, stay open to the voice of the Spirit”, as Madeleine L’Engle wrote.1 That is my part of the process. God’s part is to touch the creative portion of my brain with new inspiration. When the two parts come together, my heart sings in anticipation of the creative process and my mind races ahead to how it will develop. 

The work of writing is dependent on the original inspiration, the first “twig” placed in the tree to create a home out of words. Then begins the laborious process of building on the original idea. I propose that God sparks me with joy when He gifts me with new inspiration so that the energy from that initial spark will carry me through the hard work to completion. He makes my heart sing with creative passion, as only He can. I like to think I make His heart sing too, when I hatch original stories to offer the world.   

“All of us who have given birth to a story know that it is ultimately mystery, closely knit to God’s own creative activities which did not stop at the beginning of the universe. God is constantly creating, in us, through us, with us, and to co-create with God is our human calling. It is the calling for all of us, His creatures, but it is perhaps more conscious with the Christian artist.” - Madeleine L’Engle, Walking on Water


1Walking On Water, Madeleine L’Engle, Harold Shaw Pub. 1980

 

  More of Valerie's work can be read on her blog.

https://wordpress.scriptordeus.com/

Writing that Makes My Heart Sing by Lorrie Orr

 

Slice of life: a story about a small segment of one's day, a poem that tells about a small moment in time, a collection of words and photos that describes a scenario

Slice of life perfectly describes the writing that makes my heart sing. I've loved writing my blog Fabric Paper Thread since 2007. Along the way since then I've written and published articles, begun a book or two, created hundreds of lesson plans, and struggled with writing essays in English and French for my B.A. I've learned so much and have truly enjoyed writing of all sorts. 

But...writing the little stories of my life is what charms me most. These might be short interactions with strangers, mental notes taken while out and about, or sweet anecdotes about my grandchildren. My current large writing project is the story of our family's years in Ecuador (21 of them!) and of God's faithfulness to us. 

I love writing about nature, and combining words with images captured on my camera. I write in a most unscientific way about my observations on the wonders of creation - what goes on in my garden, or in the geographies I visit. 

I love to write the kinds of things I love to read - mysteries (they are hard to write), poetry, vignettes about food and home-keeping, stories of the past and the present. 

As I string words together, I am always cognizant of the presence of Christ guiding my writing, and yet much of my writing is not overtly Christian. C. S. Lewis writes "We needn't all write patently moral or theological work. Indeed, work whose Christianity is latent may do quite as much good and may reach some whom the more obvious religious work would scare away. The first business of a good story is to be a good story." Blog readers occasionally write me private emails to ask for prayer, or to comment on my faith and how they hope for more faith in their own lives. 

In my collected quotations, this one, by L. M. Montgomery in Anne's House of Dreams, where Anne is conversing with Gilbert, perhaps describes my favourite writing projects best,

"I'd like to add some beauty to life, said Anne dreamily.

I don't exactly want to make people know more...

I'd love to have them have a more pleasanter time

because of me...to have some little joy

or happy thought that would never have existed

if I hadn't been born."

Lorrie Orr writes from Vancouver Island where she enjoys boating and hiking with her husband. Gardening, reading, sewing, and spending time with her five grandchildren fill her days when she isn't teaching Spanish at a local high school. She also writes a "slice of life" blog at www.fabricpaperthread.blogspot.com

 

Stories Make My Heart Sing by Tracy Krauss

My heart sings when I'm writing fiction. There. I've answered this month's question, so I guess I can go back to my latest story now.

Just kidding, of course. I won't leave it at that without further explanation. As a person who writes in a variety of genres, I generally enjoy the writing process, no matter the project. I blog, I write articles, I dabble in devotionals... If I didn't enjoy these pursuits, I doubt I would do them. There have been times when one of the aforementioned pieces felt burdensome, though, but I persevered through the project because I believed it had value, not necessarily because it made me "happy". 

However, I can say without hesitation that my favorite thing--the thing that makes my heart sing--is getting lost in a story. 

I've been known to laugh out loud (literally) at my own jokes or smile at a particularly clever piece of dialogue that comes out of a character's mouth. Cliche aside, I actually do lose track of time as I clack away. Sometimes I feel annoyed by the realities of life that keep me from my made-up world which often feels just as real. I've been known to stay up half the night working on a stage play or get up in the wee hours to write down the perfect line. It's why I LOVE November and Nanwrimo. It's the perfect excuse to let my imagination fly! 

I started writing consistently when my eldest daughter was just a baby. She's turning 37 this summer, so that gives you some idea how long I've been clacking at the keys. However, I got lost in my own head long before that, composing make-believe worlds in scrapbook form through pictures and snippets of dialogue ever since I could hold a pencil. As a youngster, I mostly drew. Rarely did I ever NOT draw, even on vacation. I realized later that these were all actually stories or characters from stories that I was reenacting in my head. In school, I did write my first play when I was in Grade Four, and later in high school, my English teacher encouraged me to attend a writing camp. But it wasn't until I was a young mom that I started to write in earnest. I haven't stopped.

Sometimes I wonder if there is a point to all this writing; all these stories. Fiction is just fluff, right? Well, I believe fiction can have a real impact on those who read it--maybe as much or more as a factual book. 

If I had to, I could give up writing non-fiction pieces like blog posts, articles, and the like. But fiction? I know I will never quit as long as I have the strength and there are stories bursting to emerge from my mind. Writing fiction makes my heart sing!

Tracy Krauss writes from her home in Tumbler Ridge, BC. Visit her website for more on her many novels, short stories, stage plays -- and non-fiction, too! https://tracykrauss.com

Heart Songs by Alan Anderson

 

“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him.”---Psalm 40:3 (NIV)

 

 

This blog post has we writers contemplating projects, “that make your heart sing.” This makes one think of the precious organ within our bodies as a source of the rhythm of our lives. Every beat of our hearts reminds us we are alive. This may cause us to sing and our feet to dance to this rhythm. There are, however, different rhythms, different songs our hearts may sing.

 

A Dirge Heart Song

When my parents died a few years apart from each other, my heart song struck the beat of a dirge. This expressed a slow-moving mournful lament. The sun dimmed as if I sat among the clouds. I could no longer enjoy the physical presence of the people who gave me life. My heart sang the dirge of an adult orphan.

 

 

A Heart Song of Love

I am not the most romantic guy in the world, but I know how to love. When I met the woman of my dreams, I knew I had to plan my life different than I thought before. In our early lives together we both knew we were a fit with each other. Even after forty-four years of marriage we are a super fit together, love endures, and a medley of love continues.

 

 

A Heart Song of Praise

I became a Christian in 1975 and for the first time in my life my heart could sing praise to God. Life changed and my search for true meaning and purpose ended. As with all of God’s people I can praise Him even in the storms of life. God hears my heart song of praise.

 

A Melody of Nature

 

The warmth of the once winter hidden sun breaks forth and wakes up creation. One’s voice has the freedom to soar like a bird when in the presence of mountains, the parents of the forests. A few minutes from where I live the mountains are close enough to hug. Right now, they are showing off a myriad of their spring green and yellow colours. The evergreen and deciduous trees dance to the rhythm of a spring breeze.

 

Not to be left out, birds let lose with their chirps, warbles, and whistles. The finches, robins, chickadees, juncos, crows, and even starlings, sing praises to God whether off-key or perfect pitch. The melody of nature can overwhelm me to the point my heart sings with the citizens of the sky.

 

 

Dear Friends

Perhaps life for you, even now, may have you in a strangle hold to the point you choke. A pathway in life may even now cause you to sing mournful notes of a dirge. In our society people run from dirges and their hearts try to scream them away.

 

 

As you make your way through this journey of life what makes your heart sing? My friends, beloved of God, my prayer for you is your heart will always know it can sing a song of praise. From experience I know the pain that accompanies one when life calls to sing a dirge. Glory be to God, we can also sing praise even in a storm we feel may rip us from this life.

 

 

“And I'll praise you in this storm

And I will lift my hands

For you are who you are

No matter where I am

 

And every tear I've cried

You hold in your hand

You never left my side

And though my heart is torn

I will praise you in this storm”

Writer(s): John Mark Hall, Bernie Herms, 2006

 

 

Precious Holy One, all praise be to You forever. Oh God, lover of our souls, allow our hearts to sing praise to you, even through the storms in our lives.

 

 

Dear friends and fellow sojourners, allow your hearts to sing, for God loves the sound of your songs.

 

 

Alan lives in Deroche, B.C. with his wife, Terry. He contributed stories to Good Grief People by Angel Hope Publishing, 2017; Story by Story: The Power of a Writer, Unstoppable Writers Publishing, 2018; Easter Stories & More by InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship, 2021. Alan periodically writes articles for FellowScript Magazine. He has written posts for our InScribe blog since 2015. Blog: https://scarredjoy.ca.

Finding the song of my heart ~ Lorilee Guenter

I have a handmade rough drawn 8 1/2 by 11 inch sized reminder on my wall. It reads: " The worst thing that will happen if you fail, is you will learn something." Some would argue that failures can lead to many nasty things and even death. However, most of our failures are small because the risks taken are small. Even so, when we walk with the Lord and follow his leading even dramatic failure is an opportunity for God's instruction and his refining of our lives. 

I have often questioned if there is a thread that runs through my writing and my interests. As this months prompt asks, what projects, what writing makes my heart sing? I like to learn, which means research and experimentation. It means taking risks. As a result, I have drawn connections between seemingly unrelated objects, events or activities. Some inspire me or others. Some leave a "huh, what are you talking about," response as my attempt to explain falls flat. In either case I have a choice. I can stop or I can keep going. I can keep following my love of research and learning or I can let fear stop me from using the interests God has given me.

The simple, awkwardly written reminder draws on years of learning to walk in faith. We are told faith through God's spirit drives out fear. It allows us to take those desires that God gave us, those things that make our heart sing and let him use them to his glory. Even our failures can be used by him. This sentiment winds its way through much of my writing from essay to novel. It is a reminder that God  is part of the story no matter what our circumstances are. We don't lose him when we fail. He knows we will fail but he never fails us.

In Mark 9, the disciples wonder why they can not drive out a demon. They tried to use what they learned to help others but it did not work. Jesus used that as a teaching moment. He used it to build the faith of all involved and he helped the boy who suffered at the hands of a demon. "LORD, I believe, help me in my unbelief." A simple statement. LORD I trust you, help me take this step. Teach me.

As I study, observe, read and write a recurring theme is to keep trusting, keep trying because God is walking with us even in our failures. He is teaching us and refining us. He gives us the reasons to let our hearts sing. Then he joins with our song.

My Heart Sings When. . . by Carol Harrison

My Heart Sings When. . .

I write a variety of pieces from novels to memoir, short true stories to poetry, devotionals to family stories. What thread ties these together and makes my heart sing as I work on them? As I considered this, several things came to mind. I reread my mission statement which says, “I am passionate about mentoring and encouraging people of all ages and abilities to find their voice and reach their fullest potential.”

Living out that statement starts with my family and involves my writing projects as well. I tried writing fiction because one of my grandsons, then aged sixteen, challenged me to try. He wouldn’t let me give up and gave me suggestions. My adult niece agreed with him and went one step further by asking for a story about a girl named Karla (her name), another girl named Amee, and a dog named Abby (her dog’s name). How could I say no?

Writing that first short Abby story and giving it to her made my heart sing. I had fulfilled a request of a much-loved family member and took up my grandson’s challenge. To see their excitement gave me joy and more writing to work on wh
en she requested a second story the next Christmas. She’s received five so far.

The fiction writing grew when I allowed myself permission to work on the challenge further. But a book needed a cover. One of my granddaughters, Arianna, pursued her fine art education and painted the cover of A Home for Susannah based on a

synopsis of the book. She has now done the covers of the second and third books in the series. Then her sister, Kelsi, digitizes them using her graphic design course. Kelsi creates the covers for the devotional books, often using her own photography. She has an
eye to capture a moment, a scene from a different perspective, and a passion for capturing an image. What a blessing to work with these two granddaughters and encourage them to use their God-given talents and gifts. To encourage them and watch them grow in their field makes my heart sing for more reasons than simply the writing project but also helps me engage with enthusiasm as I write.

Technologically illiterate or mostly so, I have another granddaughter, Kathryn, who formats the books for putting on KDP. She finds it so simple and thinks I could learn it. Yet it boggles my mind and makes me nervous. Formatting does not make me feel good at all but I enjoy working with her to take the beautiful cover design and edited words to a place where readers can find them.

Sometimes I write family stories to get printed and bound at Staples to give my children and grandchildren as gifts. It helps me remember experiences I’ve had, lessons learned, and family times from the good to the not as great. Every piece helped shape me and the tough stuff made me turn to God more than the good times. To be able to pass on these stories to the next generation also makes my heart sing.

Finding little gems in everyday moments and life events and then sharing those with others through writing devotionals or as illustrations when I speak encourages me. When others have ‘ah ha’ moments reading them, or something touches them deeply and they begin to get a glimmer of hope of a glimpse of joy, then I thank God for giving me the words to use. I just need to obey and share those words with others.

My heart sings when something I write encourages a reader. But I don’t always know the effect of my words on others so I must trust God to take the words He has given me and touch the lives of those who read them.

My heart sings when I work with the grandchildren to bring the books to completion. There have been lots of opportunities to interact with them, encourage them, be challenged by them, and work together to use our gifts and abilities to the glory of God. 

 

Carol Harrison loves to hang out with family and friends. She feels blessed to have so many people encourage her in her writing and speaking. Her books truly become a family affair.