A Letter to My Way Younger Self by Bob Jones

The February prompt is to write a letter to your younger self. What advice would you give?


Dear Bob:

Congratulations on landing your first assignment in pastoral ministry. You've been given a sacred opportunity. Your new role as an assistant pastor will demand more of you than anything else in life. This role is way more than a job; it is a calling.

You will put in long hours, sometimes seven days a week. At the beginning you won't know what you're doing but that's OK. You'll feel that way for every new major challenge that God calls you into. Bible College trained you to parse Bible verses but not to deal with the complexity of human interaction. You will run programs not people.

No matter what happens, people are never the problem. The problem isn’t even the problem. How you look at the problem is the problem.

Don't sweat the small stuff. It's all small stuff.

The most important person in your life is your wife, Jocelyn. She will be with you day in day out for decades. In due time you'll leave your first congregation and enter into a new ministry opportunity and Jocelyn will be there with you for that. She is the only person you'll carry forward, aside from your firstborn son.

Pay attention to Jocelyn. She is God's best gift to you. She is smart. She is good.

She wants you to succeed and she will do everything she can to help you achieve that.

Listen to her. She has insight about people that you don't have. Trust her judgment. She is intuitive.

She loves you. Put her first. Make time for her. Quantity and quality time. Do your best to understand her. Live at peace with her.

Have fun with her.

Together, you will walk through the deaths of your parents, and life-threatening illnesses, and travel to dangerous places. Hold hands all the way and hold each other tight.

You will be privileged to journey with stellar leaders through plans and projects to the glory of God. Your labour will endure. You will see a harvest of souls from the seeds you will sow.

You will walk many congregants and community members through death, devastating trauma, and grief. Those experiences will be God’s training to prepare you for your own personal losses.

Your lifetime will pass by seemingly at the speed of light. Just as the scriptures advise us, “our days are but a handbreadth.” Live in the moment. Treasure every day. Start with Bible reading, prayer, journaling, and coffee. Always coffee.

Your collection of the front pages of newspapers from Canada and around the world will end up in the garbage. The books you purchased for your study will be given away to younger leaders and a Bible college library. The Coca-Cola bottle and can collection that will eventually define your office space will end up on other people’s shelves. But the relationships you develop, the leaders you call up and invest in, and the people that you share Jesus with will last eternally.

Settle your priorities early.

You can't put God in the centre of your church or your marriage or your role. But you can put God in the centre of your life and that choice will affect everything else.

All work and no play will make Bob a dull boy.

So, listen to Jocelyn, take time off, relax, and make use of all your holidays every year. The church will survive without you. Put your hand into a bucket of water and then draw it out and the hole that remains defines how indispensable you are.

God is for you. No matter how dire the circumstances, or how much you doubt yourself, God is for you. Walk in that truth. It will sustain you, give you grit, and keep your heart and mind quiet and at rest as you trust Jesus.

God bless you, Bob.

Your friend,
Bob

 

I had a lot of fun writing this. That's what writing should be all about. Thank you for the prompt.

I'm grateful for the life and wife and family and friends and opportunities God has given me.

How about you?

Guiding the Next Generation of Writers ~ Valerie Ronald

 

Miss Burgoyne exuded enthusiasm as she taught our high school Creative Writing class. Her own creative spirit shone in the unique assignments she gave out. Her exuberance for writing was contagious, sparking the creative thinking of her students. Most memorable was writing, performing and filming our own short drama under the direction of a professional script writer, who happened to be serving time for fraud in a nearby minimum security prison. Somehow Miss Burgoyne was able to wangle a pass for him to show up several times a week in her classroom to give us the benefit of his expertise ˗˗ in script writing, not fraud. 

Miss Burgoyne communicated a passion for creative writing to many aspiring young authors. She expected us to learn the techniques of the craft, instructing us in how to use proper writing tools to improve our work. By reading the work of successful writers, she taught us about style and voice. What impacted me most was the writing assignments, critiqued by our peers and our supportive teacher. Because of her mentoring I realized that I had the potential to call myself a writer someday. 

Many of us have decades of writing experience under our belts, each page a hard-won step forward in our journey as a writer. We have a responsibility to pass on what we have learned from our successes and failures to the next generation of writers. Getting started on the writing path can be daunting, even discouraging when faced with the challenges of developing a unique voice, laboring over manuscripts, and navigating the publishing world. Good advice is more palatable when sweetened with encouragement and positive critique. As wise Solomon wrote, “For sound advice is a beacon, good teaching is a light, moral discipline is a life path.” (Prov. 6:23 The Message) 

More than receiving our advice, those coming after us look to our writing experience as an example. What worked for us is noted, perhaps even emulated by future writers. That is a weighty expectation, however, as writers who believe in Christ, there is more to it than just demonstrating how to write. They are observing how our writing reflects our faith. Not only are we writing mentors, we are also called upon to live out our faith in Christ through our writing. 

If a novice Christian writer were to ask you for the singular most important lesson you have learned in your writing journey, what would it be? There is no right answer, for each of us is on a unique path. After distilling the essence of my own journey, I would tell the young writer, seek God’s guidance, then write honestly from your heart.  

In the most recent edition of FellowScript, YA Editor Mary Anne Focht, shares how writing has helped her through the death of her brother.  

“I know my life without InScribe would not have been as successful without all the prayers and encouragement over the years. I am thankful for how He (God) keeps turning me back to Him through the words I write.”1 

Mentioning young author, Joshua Heath, she credits his love for InScribe in helping her be enthusiastic about joining. She includes Heath’s writing timeline, beginning with him meeting InScribe members Ruth Snyder, Bobbi Junior, and Tracy Krauss and deciding he wanted to be an author like them.  

I am proud to be a member of a writer’s fellowship that values and invests in young writers just starting on their journey. When we nurture their gift, we are entrusting them to carry the torch of faith-based writing forward after we lay down our pens.


You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. (2 Cor. 3:2-3 NIV) 

1 FellowScript August 2023 p. 26

Valerie Ronald is a pastor's wife, mother and grandmother 

who enjoys reading, writing and taking photos of the

 beautiful prairies where she lives.

 

What's My Purpose and Passion? by Carol Harrison

 The question about what my purpose and passion happens to be, can be a loaded question that makes me want to shut down and not bother answering - or at least it has on many occasions. Have I known it for a long time or recently discovered it? Has it changed over time or just grown in depth? 

Recently, I heard someone say that to discover, rediscover, or develop your present day passion and purpose, you need to revisit your younger self and see what captured your interest, made you want to spend endless hours in its pursuit, and enjoy the journey. As a teen, reading, studying, research, and writing school reports, essays, and stories captured my attention to the exclusion of many other pursuits. Some might say I exhibited many nerd-like qualities. Yet my main purpose continued to be finishing school and becoming a teacher. How would this passion for academic type pursuits serve me in the "real-world" of everyday life? 

I observed female role models in my life. All of them demonstrated their love for God and family through serving others. They managed households, could grow much in a small garden plot, sewed with ease, quilted, cooked delicious meals, and baked from scratch. Domestic activities in which they excelled and found their passion - or so it seemed to me- helped them serve others with compassion. How did study, reading, and writing fit into a purpose that would help others? I didn't know and felt it must mean I needed to discover another purpose for my life and pray my passions and interests changed. 

If someone asked me this question of purpose and passion in my twenties, thirties, and even into my forties, I would shake my head because I still struggled to figure out that answer. Or I might have thrown out the answer about raising my children, teaching Sunday School, or helping in our business. Yet throughout these decades of uncertainty and busyness, deep down the passion for more creative endeavors round its way into my life through crafts or jotting down ideas but never really pursuing anything. 

As a young girl, I understood that each one is uniquely created by God and we all, as believers, have to share the good news of the gospel. Later, I learned how God gives gifts and abilities for us to use to build others up and bring glory to God. Somewhere along the way I lost sight of this truth as it related to me. 

It took years of floundering, trying various activities, being busy with everyday aspects of life before I discovered the gifts God intended me to use didn't have to look like anyone else's gifts. I didn't have to be my mother or grandmothers, or aunts with their domestic abilities. I needed to be willing for God to use what he had given me, then pursue them, practice them, and persevere in the journey even when I didn't always understand the direction or the reasons. It is more than okay to be who God made me to be. So what is my passion and purpose? 

I am a storyteller. It means being willing to tell the story of what God has and is doing in whatever format that takes - written or oral. It also means participating in the journey with God and taking the next step when I can't see the one beyond that. 

God brought several scripture passages to mind, multiple times until they embedded deep into my heart and mind. 

Psalm 78:1-4, "O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old- what we have heard and known, what our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done."

Psalm 105:1-5, "Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgements he pronounced."

God used those years of fear, of uncertainty, the busyness of raising a family, and working in our own businesses at times, to teach me many things. He showed me through a variety of experiences that he is still the same God as the God of the Bible. He led people into my life who spoke into my heart with compassion, with affirmations, and sometimes with a kick in the seat of the pants as I needed to be nudged from a comfort zone I was never intended to remain in.

Those passions for creativity, study, and research, as well as the desire to teach or help others never changed. It simply developed as I came to terms with the directions God might lead me and how they might not look the same as I imagined or what others may have expected. That is okay. 

Some days are difficult to keep going. The path ahead remains in the shadows and I long to give up, hide out, and forget about sharing stories and God's love with others. Yet persistence or perseverance means I need to keep going one step at a time, allowing God to guide and direct. I don't have to understand all the complexities but rather be available and obedient. 

As I worked through all those thoughts on purpose and passion and how it showed up in my life, I wrote this mission statement a few years ago that sums it up. "As a speaker, published author and storyteller, Carol Harrison is passionate about mentoring people of all ages and abilities to help them find their voice and reach their fullest potential, helping them find a glimmer of hope in every circumstance of life."

In doing this, I can say with the psalmist in Psalm 71:1-4, "But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone. Since my youth, O God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds. Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O Go, till I declare you power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come."  

Carol Harrison keeps plodding on the journey one step at a time as she tells stories for her family and others. She hangs out for hours at a time in front of her computer from her home in Saskatoon, longing that others will be encouraged, entertained, or educated. Most of all that God will have all the glory.

On Being Mentored by Susan Barclay

As I was mulling over this month's prompt, I found myself in somewhat of a quandary: although I've attended numerous conferences, workshops and courses, submitted my work to writers-in-residence, and participated in writing groups, I wasn't sure whom to identify as a specific mentor who's given me "insight and encouragement" on my writer's journey.

I decided that the best place to begin answering this question was with a definition of mentoring. I found this description at the National Center for Women and Information Technology:

Mentoring is a process through which an individual offers professional expertise as well as support to a less experienced colleague. A mentor serves as a teacher, counselor, and advocate to a protégée... The intent of mentoring is not to remediate weak performance, but rather to shape a career that shows promise.

I remembered submitting a piece to Wayson Choy when he was the visiting writer-in-residence at my local library. It was he who powerfully spoke the words, "You are a writer," and made me feel that it was really true. Then I remembered previously writing something about that experience here and found this post on affirmation.

But think how crazy my life must have been this year for me to forget the most important mentor-student relationship I've had to date, apart from being a life-long reader who has learned from others by osmosis. And to have forgotten when it only took place over the last twelve months! I was embarrassed when it struck me that the answer lay so near. If you are reading this, Jane Ann, a thousand apologies for not thinking of you immediately.

 

I first met Jane Ann McLachlan at Write! Canada a number of years ago and submitted a piece for critique in a one-on-one appointment. It was then that she told me, "You have something to say." She encouraged me to finish the piece I was working on and to email it to her for further feedback when I was done. Sadly, the months then years went by and I never completed it. The opportunity slipped through my fingers like sand through an hourglass, if you'll pardon a  cliche that's as tired as I am.

 

But God wasn't done with this connection yet! A couple of years ago Jane Ann did a series of workshops at my library. I took part and signed up for her email list. When I received an email last fall, letting me know that Jane Ann was starting a mentorship program for a limited number of writers, I was interested, but questioned the timing. I had much on my plate, including a greater degree of eldercare. On the other hand, I wanted to finish my novel; it had been languishing too long. Could I take this on, push through and complete the work? By the time I decided to go for it, there was only one spot left. It was mine!

 

As mentioned in previous posts, I'm a pantser by inclination. So I wasn't overly thrilled to discover we had to begin by creating an outline and fairly detailed character sketches, using Jane Ann's very good book, Downriver Writing. That being said, I found the process useful and will likely make use of it again. 

Jane Ann definitely cheered me on with comments like

• "You write very well - keep on going, you'll get this story written and it will be great!"
• "What a gift for words you have."
• "You are a good writer, and you’re here to learn. You have not made a single mistake here that I didn't make in my learning years, many times."

She also provided helpful feedback to improve my writing, pointing out what I couldn't initially see for myself, given my proximity to the story. She helped me identify my particular writing weaknesses and strengths, showing me ways to overcome the former and build on the latter. In my testimonial at the end of the course, I wrote: "Working on my novel-in-progress with Jane Ann over a 9-month mentorship has been a blessing and an encouragement. Although I have had to rethink my story and start over from the beginning, I know it will be a much better work because of her insight and direction. I look forward to working with her again in the future and highly recommend her to anyone who needs a strong set of editorial eyes."

Have I finished my novel? Alas, no; those eldercare issues grew more prominent after the new year and even more so after Covid hit mid-March. My mom fell in June and is scheduled for a pacemaker this month (unrelated issues). It was difficult to fit in the necessary writing time.

But I did finish the story I was working on when I first met Jane Ann and it is good. All I need to do now is decide on whether to self-publish it as an ebook or find a more traditional publisher.

If you haven't worked with a mentor in this formal way, I do suggest it. A mentor "knows things" and is willing to build into your life so that you can succeed as well. 

______________________________

You can find out more about Susan Barclay's writing at www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com

The Beauty of Words - Carol Harrison

Skilled artisans, artists, architects and designers begin with a plan before they follow through to build, create and design works that are pleasing to the senses of others. Visualizing a piece of art, an amazing building or a well designed space makes me think of the wonderful talent God has gifted these people with so they can use their talents, time and energy to create works of beauty.

But as writers, we too have talents and gifts given to us by God. We take words and paint a picture with them. We draw our readers into the scene, transporting them to another time and place. Our words make characters come to life. At times readers discover hidden messages in the words we write or glean valuable lessons.

I love to read and always have. Writers have inspired me, challenged me and allowed many emotions to flit through my mind and pour out of me at times. Their words create beauty, especially in poems, that rival paintings.

At times, a picture or painting prompts me to write about it, describe in word images what I see visually. One of my granddaughters invited me to come to a poetry workshop with her several years ago. I resisted at first since poetry is not a genre I usually write. Then I decided to attend as an encouragement for her to pursue her enjoyment of poetry. I learned many things about various styles of poetry and read works by poets I had never heard of before. The writer-in-residence at our local library, who conducted the workshop, gave instructions to write a poem based on what we learned. This offered an opportunity to put into practice the theoretical knowledge taught that day. I balked, not wanting to even attempt the project but scolded myself about having such a poor attitude and chose to set a good example for my granddaughter. I wrote a short poem based on two pictures which hung in my brother's home.

The Pump pulled word pictures from the visual artwork in the pencil sketch and photo. I later wrote another poem, The Ballet Dancer, filled with emotions and thoughts drawn out of me when I studied a pair of paintings done by yet another granddaughter. The beauty of the photo, sketch and paintings now resided in the words on a page. All the skills given by God to different people collided to offer one more way for others to enjoy the scenes.

on                        Ballet Dancer

painted by Arianna Tooke

Cracked bloodied toes
Crushed inside
Pink satin slippers
Bruised aching ankles
Strangled within
Crisscrossed matching ribbons.

Gauzy luminous

Filmy chiffon
Elegant dreamy
Romantic costumes
Hide skin splotched with
Blue purple fading gold. 

                                                  Stately pirouettes,

painted by Arianna Tooke

Graceful twirls,
Poised en pointe
Polished movements while
Screaming muscles
Burning calves ignored.

Lilting music
Covers gasps
Pain kept masked until
Final curtsies done
Smiles disappear
When music fades, curtain drops.

 

Writing family stories and memoirs also allows the beauty of words to convey the experiences different generations of a family endured, enjoyed, survived and thrived through. It shares with the readers a glimpse into history, personal journeys and helps them know they are not alone even in the tough times.The stories capture the imagination and sometime fill our minds with what if possibilities. The written words allow the beauty of life to be expressed and passed on to the next generation including beauty in the middle of the ash heap.

 God gifts people with skills to create beauty. Some work with metal or wood. Others embroider, sew or design clothes. Still others paint, draw or sculpt. All of them share their work with their audiences and often teach the skills to those willing to learn. As a writer, I use words which to offer beauty to readers but I must also be a good steward and share what I learn with those not as far along on their writing journey.

I had the privilege and pleasure of mentoring a young, high school age writer. At first the negative voices in my mind tried to tell me I had nothing to offer her. But God gave me a peace about embarking on a five month coaching program with her. I read her words, offered her comments and edits and answered many questions. We also met once a month and during that hour together I taught her a short lesson, gave examples for her to read and shared helpful books on the craft of writing. Watching her soak up the information, work on her writing and search for ways to create beautiful word pictures of her own to draw in her own readers gave me a glimpse of the beauty of mentoring relationships.

God's handiwork surrounds us. He gifts people with the ability to put plans into actions where their designs become something of beauty that pleases the senses of others and the written word is art of skills to produce beauty. My prayer is that I will listen to the nudges of God and be a good steward of the beauty of the words he gifts me with as well as find opportunities to share my writing. I also want to be available and willing to mentor or coach those he puts in my life.

As a speaker, published author and storyteller, Carol Harrison is passionate about mentoring people of all ages and abilities to help them find their voice and reach their fullest potential. She shares from her heart, telling stories from real life experiences and God’s Word to encourage people and help them find a glimmer of hope no matter what the circumstances. She believes we need to continuously grow in our walk with God and lives out her storytelling passion by speaking at women’s events and retreats, Bible Camps as well as school assemblies and church events. Carol is a wife, mother of four adult children and grandmother to twelve. She makes her home is Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

ALWAYS BE LIKE THE BEREANS - Bruce Atchison

What's the most important thing to remember when hearing anybody who claims to have a fresh revelation? Check it out with the Bible, that's what. Far too many Christians take the teachings of popular preachers at face value on the assumption that they know what they're saying. This is about as hazardous as a baby putting any object into his or her mouth. Like rat poison, Satan mixes tasty meal with enough cyanide to kill anybody foolish enough to swallow the bait.

Consider what Luke wrote in Acts 17:10-11 (KJV). "And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto  Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than  those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and  searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." Since the Bereans checked out the teachings of the Apostle Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament, we must likewise challenge the beliefs of others.

How I wish somebody mentored me when I gave my life to Christ in 1969. Had I known how to discern biblical teaching from poisonous doctrines, I would never have joined a cultic house church a few years later. I would never have swallowed the blasphemous lies told by its lay minister. Knowing how to discern truth from error would have saved me from several decades filled with frustration and anger.

This is why I felt so strong about the vital need for discernment that I wrote my memoir of those days. How I Was Razed: A Journey from Cultism to Christianity walks readers through the wilderness of chiding which I suffered because my eyes never were healed. It shows how cruel those elders were in their criticism of my supposedly-insufficient faith. My testimony also demonstrates how the heavenly Father deprogrammed me of all the lies and misapprehensions I collected during those cultic years. I'm so much happier now that I know the true nature of the Trinity and how to read the Bible.

Additionally, I want to warn as many pastors as possible about neglecting the discipleship of new believers. I heard recently on The Bible Answer Man how Robert in Calgary had nobody who would answer his questions. The attendees at his church were too busy with their own concerns. He finally called Hank Hanegraaff's show for help. As far as I know, Robert was paired up with a mature believer who would assist him with his quest for the truth. May we all be open to mentoring new Christians as Christ has commanded us to do.

Twitter handle = ve6xtc

Words Live Long - Elaine Ingalls Hogg

We're pleased to have Elaine Ingalls Hogg as our Guest Blogger today on InScribe Writers Online.


I am trying something new this winter, something I wish had been available to me when I started writing a few years ago. I’ve had little formal experience in beginning this new adventure, but it feels right for me to try.

What am I going to do and how does it apply to my writing? Well, I’m not sure but on two occasions this week I’ve experienced promptings which have caused me to wonder. Are these signs, I’ve asked myself, signs to encourage me to try again, to carve out a few minutes in my day in order to find some time to write? You see, family commitments and illnesses this year have slowed my writings to a trickle.

My first prompting came to my attention through a posting on Facebook. My niece, who lives several thousand kilometres away from me, messaged me saying while she was visiting at her parents’ home over Christmas she read the story From My Window Seat, The Story of My Ancestors.  She went on to say, "And in doing so, I have learned more valuable and far greater things, because of you. I Love You, Auntie!”

 Sarah Maude Shepherd

This surprised me seeing distance has kept us apart for so many years. I wrote the story she was reading a few years ago. It’s not a published book or a grand magazine article, just a simple story of my great grandmother who sat in a big wooden armchair by her window and read her Bible. I wanted my younger brothers to 'meet' this godly woman even though she had died long before they were born. Now my niece was learning about Sarah Maude Shepherd’s life and faith too.

Another reminder to encourage me to get back to writing came today, early this morning in the middle of chaos in my kitchen. It came by the way of a phone call from Florida from a woman I had met at the church I attend in my home town of Sussex, New Brunswick. She told of picking up some old books at a second hand store and today she read a devotional I wrote five years ago for The Upper Room. She called to say the words had been an encouragement to her.

On New Year’s Eve my friend Lea shared her dream of becoming a writer. ”I’m not sure if I’m ready to write or who would want to read it, but it is something I’ve been thinking about.” Lea has a story to tell, a story of a broken home, of a pre-Christmas fire a few years ago that took three members of her family, a story of a number of other hardships that would have defeated most people, but Lea is one of the friendliest and most thoughtful people I know for she has allowed God to direct her path.

Perhaps you are like Lea, you’re a 'wanna be' writer; you have all these thoughts romping around in your head but family commitments, illness, young children or not knowing where to begin has kept you from actually getting words down on paper.

I understand these thoughts for this past year other commitments have left me with very little time to write, something I did faithfully for twelve years. But after hearing Lea’s story and the other promptings mentioned above, I’ve made a decision. I’m going to offer to be a mentor to anyone in my community who wants to write their stories for their family or their friends. Who knows, maybe they will be the ones to bless a faraway friend or family member in the near future.

Elaine Ingalls Hogg
Award-winning author and inspirational speaker


author@nb.sympatico.ca
http://elainehogg.com
Blog: http://elainehogg.wordpress.com
Read Janet Sketchley's interview with me on her blog here