Are You Listening? by Valerie Ronald

 

There is an expectancy of hope resonating throughout time. Can you hear it?

A whisper, a murmur, a hum of anticipation beginning in a garden, rippling in a flood, rustling across a desert, then gaining volume in the voices of prophets. Someone is coming!

History thrums with portends of a coming king. In the fullness of time, God brings together nations, languages, people, and the alignment of stars. Like musical notes blending to create a singular symphony, God ordains precise circumstances for the birth of His royal Son.

Listen. Hear the stories beneath the Story. Be attentive to the fathomless mystery of God becoming man on that night long ago. Let this epiphany swell your spirit with the sounds of salvation.

Give mind to the messages from God spoken from the lips of an angel ˗˗

˗˗ telling Zechariah a son would be born to he and Elizabeth in their old age, destined to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. Imagine the inner dialogue between speechless Zechariah and his God while waiting for the birth of John the Baptist; unspoken words rising like incense for a coming king.

˗˗ announcing to a young woman the news she has been chosen by God to give birth to His Son, the Messiah. Hear Mary’s sharp intake of breath, her trembling voice when she questions how this can be be, since she is a virgin. Take note of the bravery with which she declares, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled.”

Can you overhear the murmuring among Joseph and Mary’s neighbors as the pair leave for Bethlehem? ˗˗ catch the whisper of Joseph’s hand brushing Mary’s sleeve in reassurance? Their eyes speak truth to each other, for they know their purpose, no matter what judging lips may say.

With each footstep on the rugged path, the young couple draw closer to their destiny. Amid the noisy streets of Bethlehem, bend near to catch the moans of Mary’s labor, the frantic queries of Joseph seeking a place to stay. Finally they end up in a lowly stable, innocent creatures the only ones to welcome the Innocent One. The air is thick with the odor of oxen and donkeys, a flickering lamp barely holding darkness at bay. Mingling with brays and bleats, Mary’s cries grow more intense as her pains increase. Heaven holds its breath, bending near to catch the first cry of a newborn baby. With that cry, almost lost in the cacophony of bellowing beasts and bedlam of crowds, God speaks His Word into time.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1 NIV)

Jesus Christ came as a spoken Word, sent to be heard by all who seek peace with God. He who made our ears to hear, speaks His message of love and salvation clearly in His coming. No one is denied its life-changing truth. Few open the ears of their heart to hear it; most disregard it. Many are openly hostile to it. Yet His spoken Word continues to ring down through the ages. It won’t always be so. Someday He will call those who truly hear and believe to come home to Him. Home to the place in which ~

“~ eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. (1 Cor. 2:9 NKJV)

Are you listening? 

 

Valerie Ronald writes from an old roll top desk in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, with her tortoiseshell cat for a muse. A graduate of Langara College School of Journalism, she writes devotionals, fiction and inspirational prose. Her purpose in writing is to encourage others to grow in their spiritual walk.

What is a Bellwether? ~ Valerie Ronald

 

Bellwether ˗˗ the word bounces around in my mind. As the title of a book by a favorite author, I recall looking up the meaning of this unfamiliar word. I discovered that long ago it was common practice for shepherds to hang a bell around the neck of one sheep in their flock, thereby designating it the lead sheep. This animal was called the bellwether, a word formed by a combination of the Middle English words belle, meaning "bell" and wether, a noun that refers to a male sheep that has been neutered. The sound of the bell worn by the lead sheep would indicate to a shepherd where the flock had roamed. Bellwether eventually became the term for one who leads a group as a forerunner or actively establishes a trend that is taken up by others.  

As Christian writers, we can look to Jesus Christ as our bellwether, not only for personal spiritual leadership, but also as One who goes before us in our calling to write. How does the leadership of Jesus influence us as writers?  

His Father God created words as the agents to speak the world into existence. Genesis 1, the creation chapter of the Bible, repeats the words,“God said” ten times, establishing the power of God’s spoken word. He chose to communicate His plan of redemption through the written words of Scripture, recorded by men through the inspiration of His Holy Spirit. Jesus Himself is called the Word, the ultimate expression of God’s love for us. (John 1) Our very faith is sustained by His words, for “faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” (Rom. 10:17 NASB)  

Because Christianity is a word-centred faith conveyed through the written language of the Scriptures, we can look to its central figure, Jesus Christ, for leadership in how we practice our craft. Jesus’ basic motivation was love for His followers. Everything He said and did flowed from His great heart of love for those He created. When we write with the purpose of conveying God’s love to others, no matter the genre or style, direct or nuanced, we follow Jesus as our ultimate example. In John 13:1-17, Jesus turns the established concept of leadership on its head by washing the feet of His disciples, a lowly task done only by servants. Here He is shown to be the prototype of servant leadership.   

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” (John 13:13-14 NIV)  

Christ has spoken, so we speak. He has written, so we write ˗˗ not that we could ever transcend the words of God, but seek to explain them, convey their truth and celebrate them, so others are drawn to Christ. We write to serve Christ.  

“What we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’s sake.” (2 Cor. 4:5)

The word bellwether refers to a trendsetter, someone who shows how a situation will develop or change in the future. Because Jesus has gone before us, we can look to Him, the author and finisher of our faith. (Heb. 12:2) We don’t have to create from scratch, rather we work to find fresh ways to express ancient truths, telling in new ways the old, old story of Jesus and His love. 

More of Valerie's work can be read on her blog:

https://scriptordeus.wordpress.com/

Just the Right Word ~ Valerie Ronald

 

There are so many of them flying around the atmosphere today ˗˗ words. They fill up our air space, bookshelves, cyberspace, even our own minds. Yet I confess, I love words. They are the vehicles for the expression of our inner heart and spirit. They reach across the lonely space between each one of us to voice our commonality, to make the connection that lights up the eyes and says, you know! ˗˗ you understand!  

The ultimate communication from God to man came in the form of a Word.

“In the beginning the Word already was. The Word was in God’s presence, and what God was, the Word was.” (John 1:1 Revised English Version) 

The apostle John was not writing about speech but rather a person, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Readers of John’s day would understand the Logos (Word), as coined by Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, “to designate the divine reason or plan which coordinates the entire universe.”1  But John took it a step further, declaring the Logos, at a particular time in history, took on flesh and became a man ˗˗ Jesus of Nazareth. The powerful statement beginning the gospel of John declares the deity and eternal majesty of Christ from the outset, so that the stories of Jesus in the next 21 chapters are read in the context of His divinity. 

This is the Word voiced without time constraints ˗˗ always speaking, always heard, uttered into the future. This Word, this perfect expression of what God is like, was spoken into the world at a specific time for a specific purpose. “So the Word became flesh; He made His home among us, and we saw His glory, such glory as befits the Father‘s only Son, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) How the immensity expressed in the small, three-letter word God, is contained within another small, three-letter word, man, is the unknowable mystery of the incarnation.

My love of words often has me searching for just the right one to express my thoughts in writing. My desk holds a dictionary and thesaurus which give the meanings and nuances of thousands of words. Finding the perfect word for my purpose is a satisfying accomplishment.

God found just the right Word on the first Christmas. To convey His love for mankind, He knew He needed to speak into their lives in a way they could relate to and understand. So He placed His most precious Word, His own son, into the body of a helpless baby. From a human womb the Word was birthed to live among us, fully man and fully God.

This Word wasn’t vague or indecipherable. He spoke truth and hope into darkened hearts, healed broken bodies and spirits, cut through hypocrisy and legalism. He walked dusty roads and broke bread with His friends. The depth of His humanity is found in the shortest verse in the scriptures, “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35) We can’t know what He experienced as God, but as a man He knew sorrow and compassion, expressed with human tears. He made His home among us, the Word made intimate.

The Enemy presumed the Word was silenced when Jesus died on the cross of Calvary. But it was the ultimate shout of victory, because He rose again to offer forgiveness and new life to all who believed what He said. Now Jesus resides in hearts open to the truth of who He is, and embodies the definition of the Word love.

Madeleine L’Engle said, when the words mean even more than the writer knew they meant, then the writer has been listening. Listening to the Word is not just done with our ears, but with our heart, soul, spirit and mind. What a privilege it is as writers who believe in this Word, this ultimate expression of all God wants to say to us, to use our words to communicate Him to a broken world desperately needing to hear it spoken.


1 Keri Wyatt Kent, Deeper into the Word - New Testament (Bloomington, MN: Bethany House Pub., 2011) 224

(painting by my daughter, Kristina Jones)

Surprise Visits and Unexpected Words by Pamela Mytroen

 

Her knock on the door wasn’t a surprise – I had invited her. It was a surprise how it ended. I hadn’t heard from my friend in several weeks and I was concerned because the last time we were together she had been quiet, looking away from me to the sky as her children squealed circles around her. She had whispered to me with head dropped to her chest how lonely she was. I felt she was going into a depression. That’s not surprising these days. So I asked the Lord this morning during my devotional time, what special verse He might have for me to share with her. I wrote out a card for her but my mind was scattered and I couldn’t settle on a specific verse that I should add so I decided to play it by ear and just listen to her. I hoped she would know that she was loved and not forgotten.

When I opened the door, her eyes lit up. She joked with me for a minute and then her French braid bobbed on her back as he bounced off the stairs and headed to the back deck in the sunshine. She seemed herself again. We talked about light-hearted and fun things, had terrible instant-coffee lattes, laughed, and then talked some more about sobering issues. She talked about some truths that she was holding onto, which warmed my heart and then she stood suddenly, and pulled me into a long hug. “Do not worry. It always will be okay,” she said. She patted my back – this girl who I have prayed for, carried in my heart, encouraged, and taught. I have been her mother when her own mom lives oceans away. I have been a grandma to her boys when they needed a cuddle and a bed-time story. In a reversal of roles, she became the word – in broken English - I needed to hear.

 That morning, I had received a disturbing email. It was from an organization that told me I would be required to attend a meeting where they would force me to listen to their ideals, and then they would discuss my beliefs, and decide whether or not I would be allowed to continue volunteering. I hadn’t told my friend about the email. The visit was supposed to be about her, not me! I had hoped to share a good word with her, some inspiring truth! Instead, she comforted me with her encouraging and hopeful words  – even though she had no clue as to what I was going through.

Some surprise visits with unexpected words are good. Especially the one when The Word came down to us as a baby. “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth,” (John1:14). This baby Who came from another Kingdom, Who spoke words we do not always understand, became the One to encourage us. This baby who at one time needed to be carried, fed, taught, read-to and cuddled, surprised us. He is the Word from whom all Good Words come.

I’m still a little anxious about the upcoming meeting. But I will remember that good surprises still happen; that warm and unexpected words can suddenly cheer a heart of despair. Like the time when The Word suddenly surrounded me with a warm hug on the back deck, while drinking coffee, and laughing with a sweet friend. May my words be good too, even if they are a little broken. May they be a surprise visit, full grace and truth, for someone who needs hope in the middle of a hard day.

 

Pam Mytroen

Becoming a Creative Christian by Nina Faye Morey

If you’re going to be used by somebody,

let it be JESUS.

For me, faith and writing are inextricably entwined. I have become a creative Christian. My creativity has acted as a catalyst for expanding and enriching my spiritual life. Creating something with my words has led me to delve deeper into God’s Word, allowing the Creator of everything (Colossians 1:16) to guide me and teach me His truth (Psalm 25:5). When I’m actively engaged in the writing process, I undertake more in-depth Bible study than when I am passively absorbing the words of others through devotional readings, Christian literature, Christian television programs, church liturgies, and so on. When I’m writing, I find myself constantly turning to my study Bibles, Bible concordances (print and online), and favourite Christian websites to research what the Word of God has to say about my subject and to find supporting Scripture verses. Whether or not I ask for His guidance, God always leads me to the sources that will help me infuse spiritual truths into my writing.

My Christian faith is what fuels my writing. I feel called to use my creativity to develop a deeper spiritual connection between my readers and Jesus. I try to light the way for my readers to follow Him and to see His will for their lives. My passion for writing is inflamed by my faith in the Word. Both my faith and my writing burn brighter because of the ever growing bond that exists between my creative life and my spiritual life.

My writing helps me and, hopefully, my readers develop a greater appreciation and understanding of how our spiritual and secular worlds coexist and intersect. I explore biblical themes, such as forgiveness, faithfulness, and hope, and inject them into a variety of genres. I integrate spiritual faith into a number of secular subjects, including health, education, and environmentalism.

Being a Christian writer in today’s materialistic and multicultural world is never easy. Many current writers’ markets are not interested in publishing books or novels that directly address Christian faith or theological themes. This creates a special dilemma for Christian authors who are aiming to write popular, commercial fiction. They walk a tightrope—trying to appeal to a general audience without alienating their Christian readers. They’re ever wary of the danger of sounding too “preachy” for the worldly. C. S. Lewis warned writers against relying explicitly on religious language to get their Christian message across: “We needn’t all write patently moral or theological work. Indeed, work whose Christianity is latent may do quite as much good and may reach some whom the more obvious religious work would scare away.”¹

A Christian writer may come to fear that theirs is but one feeble voice crying out in a vast inhospitable wilderness (Isaiah 40:3). Our belief in ourselves—our talent and our faith—can easily become tattered and frayed in the current secular climate of this world. But if we are faithful to our God, who created this world with His words (Psalm 33:9) and who was the Word (John 1:1), He will bless both us and our writing.

As writers, we are constantly learning and growing. Let God be your editor. Allow Him to make you both a better Christian and a better writer. He will help you rewrite both your life and your stories. He will guide you out of your comfort zone, enabling you to risk exposing your true faith and feelings. This approach will not only help you learn things about yourself and others, but it will also help others learn things about you and about themselves. Only when you are being true—to God, to yourself, and to your readers—can Jesus use you.

Endnote:

¹Lewis, C. S. Letter to Cynthia Donnelly (August 14, 1954).

Photos: Pixabay

Word to Word by Marnie Pohlmann

Nana’s Journal 

                             - Marnie Pohlmann

She gathered her feelings

With soft word ribbon,

Laced to pages with cursive bows

And teardrops.

Bouquets of pain and hope,

Intertwined with faith,

Pressed into her journal

In ink,

Fading.

Preserved

So generations to follow

Could meet her, 

Know her thoughts,

Feel her love,

Untie their hearts,

And worship her Lord.

My Mom, Olive, was also known as Nana.  We always knew Mom loved playing with words, but it was not until her death that we found how she had been using her talent. She had put a few thoughts into a small journal - thoughts on parenting, insights to Scripture, and opinions about her life circumstances. She wrote in prose, poetry, and prayer. I copied the journal for each of  my siblings, as a legacy to pass on to their children.

Mom and Me

 Chasing after her own nine children as well as a myriad of foster children with a variety of physical, mental, or emotional needs, I did not often see Mom reading, yet I know she enjoyed an assortment of books. I did see Mom do the Scramble puzzle in the newspaper every day, as well as the Cryptogram puzzle, and sometimes the Crossword puzzle, though she did not like the newspaper crosswords as much because they often focused on Hollywood stars, and she did not watch much television.

Mom taught us to play with words, too, especially while traveling or if we ever said we were bored. For example, take the word “conflagration” and see how many words you can make using the letters from this word. What is the largest word you can form? How many three-letter words can you list? At the end of her life, Dad said he found papers on which Mom had been playing this game using the names of her chemotherapy medicines.

Mom used words, both in games and in her journal, to make sense of life. She passed on this method of maintaining sanity to me, so while I may not often write to share with others, I cannot help but write through my emotions and circumstances.

Yes, Mom passed to her kids a love of playing with words, from Scrabble to creative writing. More than playing with words, though, Mom passed on a love of The Word.

As a child sitting through the sermons at church, I loved to lean into Mom and share her Bible. She had notes written in her well-worn King James translation with its cracked black leather cover.  I found some of the treasures she underlined. I loved to read Colossians 1:9-13, which she had noted as her prayer for each of her children.

Mom showed me that God is personal. He spoke through His Word specifically to her, and to her life circumstances, so I knew God would also speak to me as I read His Word. Amid life struggles, Mom showed me I could walk in peace, with God.

I Am Finding

                                   - Olive Shaver Freeman

When one is in a state of complete devastation

God is there!

When one is in great confusion

God is there!

When one feels intense betrayal

God is there!

When one is lost in a feeling of very little or no self-worth

God is there!

When one is searching desperately for the will to go on coping

God is there!

Yes Yes Yes

I am finding

God

Who long ago found me,

Who is with me right where I am

And where God is

There is peace!

The example of my Mom and the words she left are a legacy that leads to God.
May my life and my words also lead to God.

Good Things Come in Small Packages - Pam Mytroen

My Grade Four Teacher, much to the delight of my parents, wrote on my report card that good things come in small packages. Though I was the smallest of my peers that year, weighing in at a scrawny 47 pounds, I was at the top of my class in spelling.

A girl in Mexico city received a shoe-box four years ago. She felt that the world had forgotten her. But when she opened her box and found simple gifts tucked inside, it sparked an undying hope in her. She is now preparing to become a doctor. She wants to give back to others. Operation Christmas Child began because one man in England prepared a few shoe-box gifts for child victims of war in Bosnia. Since then it has grown to over eight million shoe-boxes annually. Good things come in small packages!

In 1843 Charles Dickens, needing money for their soon to be born child, wrote a simple story originally called “Carol”, paid to have it published, and in under six days the publishers Chapman and Hall of London dispensed 6000 copies. Though it was only a short story it has endured for two centuries through print and theatre. His little ‘package’ impacted English culture. The next Christmas, December 1844 began a tradition that has continued for decades. All factories and businesses in England and North America closed their doors Christmas Eve and didn’t re-open until Boxing Day so that Tiny Tim and others like him could celebrate Christ’s birth. Good things come in small packages!

In 1940 a man sat in his hotel room waiting. He had a few minutes of spare time. He scrawled out the words and melody to a Christmas tune. It’s become the most popular Christmas song ever recorded. We’ve all sung it, hummed it, or enjoyed it at some time during the season: “White Christmas” by Irving Berlin. Good things come in small packages!

This Christmas we have the opportunity to impact our culture around us. We may choose to give a small gift, say a few short words, or help out in some small way at a charity. But those tiny gifts of our time, like a spark, can become a blazing lamp of hope in the darkness.

One of the smallest, most un-noticed gifts came on a cold winter night in a humble shelter when Jesus, a small package, was delivered to earth. The Word, the complete and final statement of God, arrived as a whisper. Today he continues to speak in a still small voice, yet his voice has the power to calm the storm and raise the dead. God knows that the very best things come in small packages!

Though your words be few and your gifts be simple, know that they have the power to last forever.

~ Pam Mytroen