James 1:17 (NIV) “Every good and perfect gift is from
above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change
like shifting shadows.”
"I believe that God made me for a purpose. But
He also made me fast, and
when I run, I feel His pleasure.” This is a line from the film “Chariots
of Fire”. James Liddell is talking to
his sister about his purpose. He knows
that God wants him to be a missionary.
He is also convinced God made him a runner.
I have always loved
running. When I was a younger guy in
high school I loved track. I’m not
saying I was a great runner. I never had
coaches courting me because they thought I was a top athlete. I never came close to breaking a record or
won a medal. I just loved to run. No one
gives you a medal for your love of a sport.
In my younger years I would
envy those who were recognized for their outstanding skills. I knew other young people who were really
talented runners. I loved to run and
knew I couldn’t keep up with the great ones.
They always outdistanced me. I
ran anyway.
What was it about running I
loved? I believed running was something
that gave me pleasure. During those
years I wasn’t aware I could give God pleasure.
Especially when it came to long distance or cross-country running there
was a sense of freedom. There was always
someone to compete against as well. If I
was running a three-mile cross-country race my main goal was to finish. The runs could be grueling and painful. I never quit however.
I approach my
writing like I did my running. I can’t
keep up with the great writers but I still love it. For all the pain it can be to write I love
it. I love words and what writers do
with them. I love the words that come to
me. In
my stories I feel God’s pleasure!
I love the letters
that make up the words that help me write my stories. Every letter has its place and is so
unique. I love how some letters are
straight and some have curls. Don’t you
just love the little curls of the letter “e” and “s”? Those tricky guys we know as “m” and “w” can
almost imitate each other when they are upside down. That’s so funny!
As writers we get
to play with words. That is such
fun! As writers we also get to nurture
words so they know exactly how they can live with others. This nurturing results in our stories, our
plays, poems, etc. The pain or struggle involved in writing is worth it.
When I was a young
guy who loved to run I was wise enough to know I needed a coach. I’ve always thought that the men I had as
coaches realized I would never be an Olympic star. They encouraged me anyway. I thank them for that.
As a writer I am
aware I need coaching. I have the honour
to be writing with some accomplished writers.
They are some of my favourite teachers (coaches). I receive critiques from them and take to heart
what they suggest. It’s awesome! I’m over sixty and still learning a wonderful
craft. Just like when I would train as a
runner I am in training as a writer. It is all for the love of writing!
Blog:
ScarredJoy@wordpress.com
