Celebration Time by Susan Barclay

One of the questions in this month's writing prompt asks, "How can you celebrate your [writing] progress and how God has led/is leading you?" This begged another question, namely "What does the verb celebrate actually mean?" 

celebrate [ sel-uh-breyt ]

verb (used without object), cel·e·brat·ed, cel·e·brat·ing

to observe a day or commemorate an event with ceremonies or festivities

to perform a religious ceremony, especially Mass or the Lord's Supper

In the case of  one's writing, the occasion to celebrate might be the completion of an oeuvre, the receipt of an offer to publish, a writing award or contest win, being hired for a freelance job, or achieving some other accomplishment. The definition of success will look different for each writer. For some it might be as simple (or challenging!) as maintaining a writing streak of 500 words a day for 21 or 40 days. 

How do we celebrate such things? With a party, a break for self-care, a glass of champagne? If it's going to be a fete, there's much to consider: guests, venue, food, table arrangements, decorations and activities, to name several.

But I'm getting ahead of myself, at least when it comes to thinking about a book launch or other big shindig. So far there are no major book deals, the unfinished novel is still unfinished, and though I've entered several contests this year, I haven't won any (or even placed second or third). My successes have been relatively small, and that's okay. I'm beyond thrilled to have had a column in FellowScript and I enjoy writing posts here most months. While I may not have won or placed in any contests, I have been writing, so that's a plus. I also made the decision to work with a writing mentor this fall, and hopefully that means I'll finally finish the novel I've been working on for far too long. Oohrah!

For the most part the journey God's been leading me on this last year-and-a-half hasn't been about writing - at least not on the surface. It's been about trusting Him even when the going gets tough, even when things don't make sense, even when the chickens counted on didn't hatch in the way expected. Can I still celebrate?

I've probably shared this verse before, but it never gets stale: 

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. ~James 1:2-4, NLT

"Consider it an opportunity for great joy." Doesn't that sound like a celebration to you?

God is developing my endurance, perfecting and making me complete. And that's a story that'll be worth writing when the time is right.

I feel a party coming on.

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

God’s Love, God’s Gift – Ramona Heikel

Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays because it spreads the idea of love throughout the nations that celebrate it. The story of St. Valentine is credited with the establishment of the special day, and that introduces an element of sacrifice in the celebration, which is the highest form of love. Even with the assault of red and pink in the stores and the subtle message that “how much you love is how much you spend”, I figure we may as well focus on love as anything else.

One of the biggest understatements in the Bible is “God is love”. It will probably take us all our lives to unpack the full meaning, and I have no doubt that the Lord takes delight is finding ways to show us the depth of his love.

About twenty years ago, something happened that showed me how much God loved me. Through these circumstances, for the first time, I felt His eyes on me, that he knew my name, and that he did this for me not because I needed it, but because he wanted to give me a gift.

My dream was to home school our children but that just didn’t work out. So my next choice was to send them to a Christian school, not just for the spiritual aspects, but also because I believed this was the best school around to give them a strong academic foundation for the rest of their education. We’d put them on the waiting list for grade one when my oldest turned five, and waited to see what would happen.

In the spring of the following year, we got a phone call to say that they had a spot for our son. Yippee! I was elated at this answer to prayer, but wasn’t sure what my husband would say. Since the boys had been born, we had pretty much lived on one salary, and it would be tough to come up with the extra chunk of money to pay for tuition. Transportation was also an issue, surprisingly. Since I was running a day home, I couldn’t drive my children to school, and the cost to bus them was almost as much as the tuition.

On top of that, my financially conservative husband had questioned the need for a Christian education, and was on a “break” in the oil business cycle, so the only income we had was my babysitting income. Yet I believed that God would direct this through his response.

For some reason, he left the decision completely up to me! This completely defied logic. It was a miracle. A first-hand miracle.

So, of course, the first thing I did was feel guilty for taking so much of God’s time praying for this miracle, even when there were people around the world who were far more desperate for God’s life-sustaining power. Then it was as if God said, “This is for you.” Tears came to my eyes then—as now—as I realized how a far-away God was touching my life. Only He knew how much this meant to me.

We registered our son for grade one, even though we had no idea how we’d pay for it. The situation was repeated each spring for the next two years, for both boys, and the result was the same, even when we were both unemployed.

I’m so happy for the benefits of their nine years in the school, but the best thing that happened from this in my own spiritual journey is that God forced me to not only face my fears, but to jump right in without a safety net. And better yet, He taught me repeatedly to turn the well-being of my children over to Him.

Such love!


Posted by Ramona
www.happilywriting.com

Losing Hope for our own Solutions - Janis Cox

Have you ever felt that the path you were on suddenly got muddy, then almost like quick sand and finally came to an end? This past month that has been my journey. I had walked along this beautiful tree-lined sunny street; clouds appeared on the horizon and a big storm came rolling in.

I couldn’t see any path; my feet kept sliding off from one side to the other. Instead of stopping to get my bearings, I groped along in the dark. I bumped into trees, and fell down. I crawled with very little energy barely able to make any progress.

Then a LIGHT shone through and I focused on it. Slowly I got to my feet and let the LIGHT lead me gently and firmly in the way It wanted to go.

This is an analogy of my spiritual journey this past month. On the outside I looked the same but inside I was in turmoil. World circumstances had thrown me off my regular spiritual “routine” and I floundered. I followed my emotions and my flesh. I became stressed.

Even though I prayed and asked for prayer I couldn’t find the peace that I craved. I kept praying and did not stop. A glimmer of Light appeared as I remembered to thank God in all circumstances. I started to take little moments to rest in Him.

I felt the peace of the prayers of friends. I started to live in each moment.

Then a pastor friend reminded me of the people of Israel who had to work for many years with no change in their circumstances. But God was grooming them to move forward and to learn to trust in Him for the solutions.

Ah ha – that is what God is doing. Teaching me to trust when I cannot see the answer. Teaching me to give over my solutions and trust in His. Ah ha – that is what God is doing. Teaching me to trust when I cannot see the answer.

May we all be able to follow His Light this year through whatever the world throws at us. May we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2).

Happy New Year to everyone.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for leading me through these times. I know now they are making me stronger and more obedient to Your voice. Continue to lead me and guide me and I will try to follow. In Jesus’ name. AMEN.

I love this song King of Kings - Prince of Peace.

I particularly love these words:

You are holy (you are holy)
You are mighty (you are mighty)
You are worthy (you are worthy)
Worthy of praise (worthy of praise)
I will follow (I will follow)
I will listen (I will listen)
I will love you (I will love You)
All of my days (all of my days)