An Unlikely Path by Karma Pratt

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8 (NIV)

***

I read a devotional recently that said, “God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called.” I feel like this sums up my writing experience completely! As I have continued to move deeper into relationship with God, especially through listening prayer, I have gained more clarity in knowing what God wants for me and from me in my life. I have also deepened my trust in the Lord as I continue to walk the path He’s leading me on.

The path began with writing. Last year I felt called to give up my job and begin writing “full time”. I started a business, Red RaincoatCreations, and began offering professional writing and editing services. It’s taken time, and much molding and sculpting from the hands of the Lord, but I believe the fruits of these labours, and my willingness to trust the Lord, with all my heart, mind, strength and soul has opened doors to serve in completely unexpected ways.

For one thing, I had to let go of the notion that I knew how to best prioritize my time, launch my business, etc. I had to let go of everything I thought I knew about branding, marketing and money making. God’s path doesn’t always make sense to a human navigator, because it winds right when we were certain the map said left. Once I let go of the map I had written, and began to focus more fully on God’s will and hope for my life, things went a lot smoother (it’s definitely been a winding road!)

Entering into a writing business has meant letting go of the security found in the nine-to-five. I prayed to God to help me find creative ways to help support my family. He led me to Safeway. (Unexpected, no?) I have been able to work part time in the deli at our local Safeway, while growing my business, feeding my family and prioritizing time to write in my daily life. Much more than that, I have been able to pray into people’s lives that I would not have met otherwise. I have poured blessing into food prepared for others, felt the presence of the Holy Spirit working through me at the service counter, and have been positioned to bear witness to Christ’s awe-inspiring love. It may seem a small thing, working in the deli, but I have found it to be an incredible way to serve God and people.

My work and church life have connected as well, and have led to an opportunity to serve the less fortunate in our community. The details are still being ironed out, but God has placed a ministry opportunity in front of me through a program called the Good FoodBox. I am excited to see what God will do through this ministry as we bring it to life in Fort St. John!

Diving into writing has allowed me to make connections with people. My work allows me to use my skills to serve others. I love sitting down with a client, exploring their vision for their business, and then bringing that vision to life through the words I write. My work is collaborative in that it’s often only one small piece of the picture. I work with graphic and web designers, small businesses, local government and more to complete projects.

God is opening doors and I am excited to be his hands and feet in this world. Stepping fully into God’s giftings for my life has allowed me to encourage others, help them find connection in community, express themselves clearly and have their voice heard too! All because I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

***

Karma Pratt is a faith-driven mom of twins, a communicator, a writer, and an encourager from way back. Say hello at redraincoatcreations.com or connect on Twitter, Facebook, & LinkedIn

Inspired to Wait Tables – Ramona Heikel

I have been working away on a few children’s stories this summer, editing some and finding homes for others.  As I try to find suitable book or magazine markets online, I often come across writer’s communities and helpful tips, and last week I spent some time reading the great advice of a very successful and prolific writer of children’s educational books.  But I felt myself getting more and more tense, as I read of this established writer’s struggles to get her latest work published.

Then it hit me: if this woman—who has published forty-some books in addition to daily blog posts and several lengthy non-fiction books teaching other writers how to write—has trouble with rejections, what chance do I have?  She is a full-time, professional writer, with accolades abounding; and yet she still gets frustrated at today’s tough publishing market.  And I, who eke out a few blocks of time here and there, and am certainly not focusing my life on writing…I am trying to get published?

What on earth am I thinking?

After a couple days of throwing up my hands, shutting off my laptop and sighing into my journal, I remembered what my brother’s pastor had said.  A few weeks ago while visiting my family in Colorado, I was listening to a sermon about talents and heard the term “low self-esteem”, something I’d never connected with talents.

In the story of the servants entrusted with one talent each, there was one who buried his talent because, this pastor believed, he was afraid to try, for fear of failing.  But as appointed servants of the Lord, we are entrusted with a fortune of gifts and abilities, self-esteem problems or not.  If we devalue the talents God has given us, it is a serious problem.

 

Another point:  Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, recommended that Moses select capable men to be officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.  These officials would be valuable advisers and judges to share the load Moses had been carrying.  Notice that they did not all have the same responsibility.  Were those who were given only ten cases to judge covetous of the privilege and honor of those who were given a thousand cases to judge?  Maybe.  Maybe there were super-talented advisers and not-as-talented advisers, but clearly they were all necessary.

Again, the New Testament deacons also had differing responsibilities.  Some waited tables, others were writers of the gospel.  I know I would have wanted to be a writer of the gospel, but perhaps I would have been assigned tables to wait...?  These were divisions based not on hierarchy, but on appropriate service opportunities.  The “pay” would be the same for each service.

This reminds me of a book I read and reviewed on my blog called Looking Backward, 2000-1887.  It was written in 1887, imagining what the nation would be like in the year 2000, in terms of labor and economics.  The author believed that every human being would be given the same pay, no matter what their task or abilities; the disabled doing the work they could do, and receiving the same pay as the highest leaders of business, education, science or literature.

This is what got me back on my feet, when I faced the fact that my writing talents do not match those of the most successful writers.  I believe God has called me to write, and I will write, and keep on writing, to be faithful to do my appropriate service to the King.

Photo credits: Painting of the parable, by Jacob Willemszoon de Wet, mid 17th century.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parable_of_the_Workers_in_the_Vineyard

(If you’re interested, my 3-part review of Looking Backward starts here.)

Posted by Ramona

www.happilywriting.com