O is for Opportunities! Tracy Krauss

Opportunities. One never knows when the next great “opportunity” will present itself. In fact, so many come across our path that we might start to feel overwhelmed. While we don’t want to wear ourselves thin, we also need to prayerfully look at each opportunity and examine our motivation for saying yes or no. A simple, yet powerful piece of advice has been one of my mainstays: Try saying YES. 

The first time I really appropriated this advice was at an InScribe Conference back in 2013 (or there about.) Murray Pura was the guest speaker and he talked about saying “Yes” in spite of fear and doubt because sometimes this is exactly the small door that might lead to something bigger. He gave examples from his own life of a time he said “yes” to a seemingly insignificant project (and one that didn’t pay well) and then God used it to open a much bigger door which set his writing career on a completely new path.

I think the real point Murray was trying to get across is that we shouldn’t look down on small opportunities. We just never know when these will be gateways to other things.  Zechariah 4:10 admonishes us not to “despise the day of small things.” 

I’m not saying you have to take on everything, nor should you. Learning to say “No” is a skill we also need to learn. It’s brought me balance and helped me establish healthy boundaries. 

However, often we say, “No,” for the wrong reasons. Fear and doubt are the most common. “What if I can’t do it? What if I make a fool of myself? I’m not qualified,” etc. If these are your reasons for saying, “No” you might be selling yourself short. If it’s truly a matter of maintaining healthy boundaries or allowing someone else to step in, then by all means. However, if it’s simply because “Yes,” seems scary, then maybe God is asking you to take a leap. It’s good to get out of our comfort zones!

Another excuse is lack of time. I use the word “excuse” quite intentionally. We’re all busy, but most of us tend to waste a lot of time on unimportant things. If something is important; if it’s something you believe in or feel motivated to do, you’ll make the time. Try saying “Yes” and allow God to help you fulfill the commitment. It could be exactly what is needed to bring your life into alignment. 

Better yet, try adding the word “and”. “Yes AND…” is a powerful way to clarify your yes. It means you’re not just agreeing to anything and everything, but you’re setting boundaries around your “Yes”. You are accepting the opportunity while not necessarily overwhelming yourself with other people’s expectations. 

Saying “Yes” opens all kinds of unexpected doors. It stretches and helps us grow. We might be surprised by what we learn and where it takes us. When opportunity comes knocking, try saying “YES!”

Tracy Krauss lives and writes from her home in northern BC. She said, "Yes" to joining the InScribe executive many years ago and has enjoyed the wonderful benefits of community ever since! Visit her website: https://tracykrauss.com

H is for Hero Maker ~ by Bob Jones

 

Not all heroes wear capes. But true heroes make heroes.

Hero makers have existed since the beginning of time. Moses was one. Elijah was one. So was Jesus. They put the spotlight on others. Only recently did the appellation "hero maker," popularized by Dave Ferguson, become a part of Christian vernacular. 

HERO MAKERS

Hero Makers live in the shadows, often nameless but faithfully embracing the role of supporting character. They don’t seek to be the central figure in the main plot. Instead, their main plot is to make heroes.

Think of Barnabas. He's one of my favourite New Testament leaders. He never wrote a book. He never led a movement. He never planted a church. Paul we know but who was Barnabas? But he was the hero maker to Paul. He was an encourager. The scales had barely fallen from Paul’s eyes before Barnabas had taken him to the apostles and vouched for him. Later, he took Paul to the Antioch church, ultimately setting him up for planting churches that would advance the gospel and change the world. 

"He (Barnabas) was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. ²⁵ Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, ²⁶ and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people." Acts 11:24-26

Barnabas was the mentor who creates heroes that ultimately become hero makers. 

MENTORS AND BUDDIES

Everyone who posts on this blog are hero makers. Many of your posts contain links to shine on other writers. You are my mentors. I thrive through your posts and your comments when I post. 

Valerie Ronald posted in July about raising up the next generation of writers. She championed her creative writing teacher Miss Burgoyne and referred to Ruth, Tracy and Bobbi for their influence on a young writer, Joshua Heath. In 2020, Marnie Pohlmann tells of the spotlight shone on her by Tracy, Marcia Laycock, Ruth, and others that encouraged her love of writing. In 2015 Sandi Somers wrote how Catherine Marshall lit the fire in her creative spirit.

Alan Anderson, ever the encourager wrote, "...please persevere as you write and send your words into the world. The world needs us. Be open to God placing you in someone’s life as a mentor and see the world change."

Inscribe offers a mentoring program through writing groups and writing "buddies." Buddies meet at least once a month to talk about their writing goals, barriers, and other related topics. Writing buddies offer encouragement to persevere.

In 2016 myself and a friend started a writers group for Inscribe at North Pointe Church. What a supportive experience. For three years we met monthly, put each other in the spotlight, read our short stories, and offered written affiirmations. Hero makers all.

Who are you shining a spotlight on and turning into a hero? Thank you in advance for commenting.

I'd be honoured if you read my weekly posts at REVwords and even more if you would provide a guest post for my readers. 

Please email me if that interests you. bob.pb.jones@gmail.com

 

 

 

Forrest Gump and My Writing Path by Bob Jones

"I just felt like running." Forrest Gump 

Writing was to me like running was to Forrest Gump. Early in my formative years I started to write. That day I wrote for no particular reason. I wrote a limerick and later a song and not long after a short story. I just felt like writing. Along the way I discovered that building a reputation for writing can provide unexpected opportunities to form a writing career. You are following a path that took you to where you are today. If you reflect on it, you'll see God's nudges along the way.

 

Whatever talent I had as a kid was raw and remained unrefined. I liked the creative writing portions of high school English classes. The grammar portions were endured, much to my regret. A project in English 11 class was a defining experience. I wrote the story of the Vietnam War through the eyes of a fictional US Marine. I created a journal of his experiences based on a composite of news reports in Life magazine and newspapers. The last page of the journal was an unfinished sentence, on a page stained by what looked like blood. The teacher’s A+ was encouragement enough to contine.

 

In English 12, I crafted what I imagined a reporter’s journal from 1864 would look like. I wrote the story of the Army of Southern Virginia during the American Civil War. Pictures with handwritten notations were pasted into a scrapbook. I singed the edges of the scrapbook endeavouring to make it look authentic. Another A+.

 

During my first job as a pastor in 1980, I wrote articles for a Canadian youth magazine, sharing real life stories of teens who came to know Jesus as their Saviour. Over time I got up the nerve to submit articles to a national religious magazine. The editor favoured me by publishing everything I sent and asking for more. More fuel for the fire. Editors are opportunity managers.

 

God opened doors for me by opening hearts to me. My first published book was the biography of a mom of three very young boys who died of cancer a few weeks after her 30^th birthday. Her husband allowed me to include family photos and gave me access to her journals. The last chapter of the book was her husband’s reflections on his grief and his life raising three boys as a single parent. The book, Ornament, won the Word Guild Inspiring Story of the Year in 2015. More fuel for the fire. Two additional books followed.

 

In 2020 I was asked to ghost write a woman’s story of childhood sexual abuse; her journey of recovery and building a world class treatment centre for victims of childhood sexual abuse. Her story became a Canadian bestseller in 2021.

 

Are all writers their own worst critic? I am. My best attempts at prose fall short in my own eyes but I see that God can take what I write to benefit others in unexpected ways. In May 2022 I was seated at a conference luncheon next to a stranger who introduced himself by saying he was inspired to pursue his own writing path by reading what I write at REVwords.

 

And so, I just feel like writing.

How about you?

 

 

I write to grow hope, inspire people to be real, forge an authentic faith in Jesus, and discover their life purpose.

Please follow my writing at REVwords.com

I would love to hear from you.

Unexpected Obstacles by Carol Harrison

Speaking at retreats, events and camps gives me an opportunity to share stories from the Bible and real life experiences and sometimes share stories or books I have written as well.

A few years ago I was asked to speak at a weekend mother/daughter camp in Northern Saskatchewan. I had the privilege of speaking at this event two other years and knew what to expect. The age range could be from six to eighty. The weekend had a theme based on the summer camp theme from that year and I would need to prepare, write and speak three messages.

This year the opportunity to connect with mothers and daughters came with a small built in obstacle - a short time of preparation since I would be filling in for the intended speaker who had become ill. I trusted God to provide the messages on the theme of Surrender and said yes.

I wrote an outline about living intentionally with three headings: Retreat, Rough Road, Restoration.
In the second session of rough road I wrote these words, "Accepting each day as it comes, knowing God is still in control. Our day starts, things spiral out of our control, the day ends unlike what we planned."

As I wrote and planned my breathing became more laboured. My asthma flared up - another huge obstacle. I used my medication and my home nebulizer but they brought only minor relief at first. My husband wanted me to call the camp and tell them I could not honor my promise to come. I was sick. I refused. With only ten days until the retreat I did not want to leave them scrambling to find yet another speaker. I kept trusting God to help me breathe.

It became apparent that this obstacle loomed larger than it first appeared. Nothing eased my breathing enough to make my husband comfortable with me driving over two hours away from the city by myself and then speaking. I also knew my room would be upstairs which added to the concerns. Yet I trusted that God had a plan for this opportunity to share during this weekend. I just did not know what it should or could look like.

My oldest daughter Lorilee agreed to attend the event with me and do the driving. She could also help monitor my breathing and be a voice of reason to help me quit being stubborn and seek more medical help if necessary. I loved the idea of attending together and then I realized this opportunity could take on a different look. We could speak together, sharing from a mother and adult daughter perspective.

The camp director loved the idea. My husband and I loved the idea. My daughter warmed to it and I sent her the outline and notes I had written even as fear of doing something like speaking to a group for the first time filled her mind. We spent a week working together on messages and object lessons. We prayed about my health, for open hearts of all attending the weekend and that we would speak the words God wanted us to speak.

We retreated into God's Word and then to the lake for the weekend. We had bumps in the road for timing and health but we were available for whatever God had planned. The obstacle turned into an opportunity to hear my daughter share details of some tough stuff she had gone through as a teen and young adult - details I never heard before. We shared how these tough times had affected us individually, as a family and in our mother/ daughter relationship. Then we talked about God's work in our lives with each other and the weekend's participants.

When I wrote about the rough road I did not know that God would use the obstacle of my lack of breath in a way to  strengthen my relationship with my oldest daughter as we both surrendered to him.

 We closed the last session with these words "As we leave our time of retreat and go out to live intentionally to be all God plans for us to be, let's remember these verses from Ephesians 3:20,21
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to the power that is at work within us,
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen."

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.

Opportunities and Challenges - Carol Harrison

OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

Life and writing are full of challenges that can overshadow everything else and make us miss opportunities God is nudging us to embrace.

As I thought about this month's prompt of the interaction between faith and writing, I must admit that other life activities and challenges kept me longing for the proverbial light bulb moment of inspiration so I could sit at the keyboard and compose words worth reading. I searched through memories, verses and photos for inspiration or maybe even a tool for procrastination. I remembered this photo which spoke to me to the tenacity of seedlings growing in less than ideal circumstances.

I have often wondered how a pansy, my favourite flower, can grow in an area covered by stones and yet one summer two pansies greeted me each morning in our small grassless backyard. Each time I looked at their bright colours I felt a smile crease my face and imagined them thumbing their noses at the adverse growing conditions.

On our recent train trip across Canada I marveled at the trees and shrubs growing out of the rocks in the Canadian Shield and clinging to the steep cliffs of the Rockies. How did they grow in such harsh conditions. How did their roots find the exact crevice in the rocks to search for nutrients and stability?

This picture, the pansies in the rocks and the trees growing where nothing should survive all remind me of possibilities beyond the challenges. They also serve as reminders of growing my faith, with God's help, by sending roots into the Word of God and spending time listening to His direction, His voice and then listening to those nudges he gives, even when I do not understand His purpose for me, my life or my writing.

I thought back to a conversation I had a few months ago. Adrienne, one of the founders of a group called Consciously Woman, interviewed me as a possible weekly contributor to their blog. She said, "I looked at your web page and its all about christian faith. This community has women with varied beliefs. Do you think you can even write something that is not preachy or is more general in nature?"

I must admit my first internal reaction to her words, not said in anger, included wanting to end the conversation and not bother about the rest of the interview. But I paused and trusted God to give me words to say. We finished the time with my agreeing to be one of her writers because I realized as we chatted that not everything I write or have had published is Bible verse quoting, devotional style, geared to one audience material. Yet no matter what I write, my faith colours what I say for it is an integral part of who I am.

My faith is a work in progress with ebbs and flows of strength. Even when I struggle with challenges and the question why pops into my mind, I beg for growth in that area of my life. My faith should not be put on like an accessory when the mood strikes. It is an integral part of who I am and should be reflected in every aspect of my life, through my attitude, my actions and my words whether written or verbal.

My writing too is a work in progress. I need to keep learning from others further along the journey, practice what I have already learned and listen to God's still small voice for directions in this area of my life. Some writing remains hidden from the eyes of all but God and myself. My journal contains reflections,  memories and yes sometimes questions about faith and life. God has directed at least one short story to be shared with people at certain times and I did not understand the reason. I had written it as part of a healing process. I obeyed and God used it to touch the life of someone else. In return my faith grew and strengthened.



Not everything I write is devotional style with Bible verses quoted and expounded upon or other Christian based faith writing. But the words I choose, the attitude portrayed within the story reflect who I am and whose I am. Faith helps me survive the challenges and opens my ears to hear the opportunities God nudges me to accept. I like how this poster sums up my life and my writing. May it inspire you as you take on the challenges and opportunities of life and writing.




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.

Bad Recipes by Brenda J Wood

My friend decided to stop baking and gave me all her recipes. Whew! What a stack.I thought all of them would be great because after, all she had them in her possession.

Sadly this was not the case. No matter what I did to tofu, my hubby would not believe it was hamburger. (Please don't send me your favourite version...it won't wash here!)

The Rocky Road bars really were rocky while the Spinach rolls were for admiration only.

Finally I figured out her system. A barely legible recipe, with sticky edges and brown blobs met "Try me. I taste good." In a very short time, I edited that recipe pile down to a few special ones and tossed the rest.

Her most spotted recipe?

Cherry Snacks

1 cup flour

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

Crumble these ingredients together and pat into bottom of 9" square pan. Bake at 350F for 8 minutes, then mix the following ingredients and spread on the top.

2 well-beaten eggs

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup walnuts

1/2 pound candied cherries

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup finely shredded coconut

Return to oven and bake at 325 for 45 minutes. Top with butter icing if desired.

Just like recipes, life gives us lots of opportunities. Some are worth trying at least once but too many are not worth even one experience. Only a few are really worth the money, time and effort they demand.

We've all chased a few bad recipes. Some should have been thrown out immediately because we saw others make the same mistake.

Still some of us must try.... Lesson learned the first time should be enough.

Made a mistake and tried it? Too bad. Lesson learned.

Repeated the same mistake again---and again---and again...?

Shame on us.

Brenda J Wood

http://heartfeltdevotionals.wordpress.com