To Everything There Is a Season - Tracy Krauss

I've been sitting in front of a blank computer screen for about ten minutes, pondering what to write. This is relatively unknown territory for me. "Writer's block' is not something I experience very often. Usually I find myself so busy with 'life' that when I sit down to write I have more than enough to say. What makes this day different?

I'm not sure. Perhaps I'm preoccupied with thoughts of my first grandbaby. (She is 10 days old and without a doubt the cutest baby ever born. Just sayin'.) Or maybe the untimely death of my son's friend on Canada Day after an ATV accident has me thinking about the brevity of life. My son had his own, unrelated, accident three weeks ago and has been off work recovering. I can't help but reflect on the fact that I could very well have been in those other parents' shoes...

These events are at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of the human experience - literally life and death. It reminds me of one of my favorite passages from Ecclesiastics 3. "To everything there is a season... A time to be born and a time to die; a time to laugh and a time to mourn...' We've experienced both of these scenarios in very tangible ways this month. Yet, despite these milestones, ordinary life also continues at a steady pace.

As Christian writers we have the opportunity to record every aspect of life's journey. Whether we are offering hope in a dark situation or sharing our joy, we can inspire and encourage someone else simply by sharing our own experiences or creating stories that point to Christ. Good writing, whether fiction or non-fiction; poetry or prose, must offer something that our audience can relate to. Someone, somewhere, needs to know that they are not alone; needs to laugh, cry, empathize, ponder, and question.

This is our calling as Christian writers, no matter the style or genre. Continue to push forward in your calling, fellow writers. Someone, somewhere needs to hear from YOU.

Tracy Krauss continues to pursue her passion for writing from her home in Tumbler Ridge. BC. She has several novels and plays in print and is currently working on the 'next big thing' while enjoying her summer off from teaching. Visit her website at http://tracykrauss.com to see all her published work, or sign up for her newsletter to get all the latest.