Vulnerability in One’s Writer’s Voice by Alan Anderson

 

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”--- Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

 

 

The online Cambridge Dictionary describes “vulnerability” in the following way:

 

Vulnerability: “the quality of being vulnerable (= able to be easily hurt, influenced, or attacked), or something that is vulnerable:”

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/vulnerable

 

Vulnerability in a Question

 

This writer is forever thankful to God for the book The Wounded Healer by Henri J. M. Nouwen. Nouwen poses a thought-provoking question at the beginning of the book and answers it throughout its pages. The question is, “What does it mean to be a minister in contemporary society?” 

(Nouwen, Henri J.M., The Wounded Healer: Ministry in Contemporary Society (Image Doubleday, New York, 1972), p. 3.

 

A major contributor to the development of my voice as a writer was The Wounded Healer, written in 1972. The question Henri Nouwen asks still encourages a response from ministers and other servant-leaders today.

 

Allow me to offer a few brief points on how I answered and reflected on Nouwen’s question.

 

A question to invite vulnerable answers

 

Nouwen’s question intrigues me to this day, years after I read his book. For the sake of this blog post, I thought I would put a little spin on his question.

 

What does it mean to be a writer who is also a Christian in contemporary society?

 

My friends, free your minds to give thought to your answers. What does your call as a writer mean to you? What do the words eager to jump from your brain on to a page want to say to the world, your readers?

 

Here are a few suggestions I offer for your consideration.

 

Write as a “Wounded Healer.”

 

In his reference to Christian ministers, Henri Nouwen notes a particular image in focus throughout his answers to his original question. The image is that of the minister as “the wounded healer.” This is he or she who is aware of one’s vulnerability, one’s woundedness in coming alongside people who suffer. In short, servant-leaders are to recognize themselves as those who also suffer.

 

Every time I sit down to write, I write as a wounded healer. My own experiences of suffering teach me to bring hope to other people who suffer. The call of a Christian writer in the world we live is that of a wounded healer. We suffer, therefore, for the sake of our readers, we write with vulnerability. Our vulnerability brings authenticity, not weakness, to our words.

 

Vulnerability shows honesty in one’s words.

 

While dictionaries portray vulnerability as weakness, one can also harness this “weakness” as a strength. Vulnerability allows us as writers to be unashamed about emotions and the words we commit to a page. Our words can evoke tears, giggles, and deep thoughts. They represent us as writers.

 

Whatever I write, in all its vulnerability, is based on an honest observation of life. Honesty realizes the value vulnerability brings to the words one sends into the world of readers.

 

Vulnerability in one’s writing brings hope

 

A hope I pray for my writing is readers will use my words to wrap around themselves and know they are not alone. This is reason enough to show vulnerability on the page. Vulnerability makes us aware of our limitations and dependence on God’s mercy and grace.

 

Vulnerability in our writing has a hope to wrap our arms around the souls of our readers. The Lord Jesus promised He gives rest to our souls. This blessed rest allows us as writers to show genuine vulnerability in our words to reach the souls of our readers.

 

 

My friends, to write as a wounded healer is honest, hope laden, and shows vulnerability. May it be so with all of us.

 

 

Alan lives in a small village called Deroche, British Columbia, with his wife, Terry, and their poodle, Charlie. He enjoys walking on the dike near his home with trees all around, where he finds inspiration for his writing. He occasionally writes articles for FellowScript Magazine and is a regular contributor to the InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship blog. Alan is the new BC/Northern Regional Rep. for InScribe. His website is https://scarredjoy.ca.

V is For Vibrant by Lorilee Guenter

 

Edinburgh Harbour

The drive between Calgary and Saskatoon has a portion that is long, straight and dull. There are no twists or turns. The horizon and the road meet at some distant spot beyond view. I commented on the boredom that accompanies such an unchanging landscape. Then I turned my head. The gentle undulating hills and open prairie was interrupted by a coulee, a rugged gash that cut through the land. The effect caused sharp shadows that highlighted the sharp drops of the land. Light and shadow bring the area to life, they catch the eye and add interest. Further down the road, ranch land gives way to crop land. The vista remains large and unconfined. The possibilities seemingly endless or exceptionally boring depending on your point of view. We paused to take a picture of the golden fields as the sun began to set. Two very different views in this vast vibrant land that could have been lost in the mundane monotony of the drive.

This past spring, I commented that I don't want to make a bucket list. From my point of view, it limits the possibilities. A bucket list requires its creator to consider life from their vantage point and choose the things they hope for. It sounds like a good way to dream of possibilities. Each choice has the potential to expand or contract your view. Once the list is complete, you start working your way through it. Each time you do something from the list you remove it. Step by step, the bucket becomes empty. Then what?

I sat on a hilltop overlooking the Edinburgh harbour. As I watched a cruise ship head out to the North Sea, the vista in front of me was awe inspiring. I sat on the grass and caught a glimpse of the vastness of the sea. Behind me lay the city which encircled the base of the hill. Then the sun began to set. Clouds of an offshore storm fought with the colours of the sunset for our attention. I could smell the grass the sea and the storm as the wind cooled my skin.

One the way back to our hotel room, I realised where my resistance to the bucket list idea originates. I would never have thought to put "watch a sunset over Edinburgh harbour" on my bucket list. In looking to accomplish a set list, how many moments like this would I miss. I recognised I would rather fill my empty bucket with moments of gratitude and wonder than empty it as I cross items off a list.  I want to appreciate the many gifts God gives me in the moments of my days. I lack words to describe some of my experiences. Every time I try, I fall back into cliche. I continue to savour them, hoping one day the words will come. If the words never come, it doesn't matter. I've still had the experience.

God gave me many moments of wonder on that trip. Each one is a gift, a glimpse of the complexity of His Creation. Each one a glimpse of His love for me. He knew what I needed in that moment to refresh and restore me after a full day. He fills us until we overflow with Him. Instead of emptying my bucket, I want to fill it with the many unexpected gifts lavished on me as a child of God. Some moments are large and breath taking, others are smaller, close to home and just as important.

I trust God will continue to turn my head so I see the vibrancy of each moment, and each conversation He orchestrates. Life may not always be easy but it is full of God's abundance. I pray your bucket is filled a little more today.

It Takes a Village by Carol Harrison

 

V is for Village

There is a popular saying that it takes a village to raise a child. I have been thinking that as writers which is a solitary endeavour, we also need a village around us. We need that small, tight-knit community of people who are supportive and encouraging.

I’m fortunate and blessed to have family and friends who are part of my village. With my writing and life in general I’ve been blessed with people who encourage me through tough times and the good ones too. I found a writing village when I found Inscribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship. I also connected with some of the local Christian writers in the Saskatoon area.

Over the years I have been encouraged during conferences and Wordshops, articles in FellowScript, and blog posts on both the pro blog and the Inscribe writers on line. I find support, help, encouragement, and compassion. Everyone made me feel like I belonged and my writing had value to add encouragement to others.

The Bible tells us in Hebrews 10:24-25, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

1 Thessalonians 5: 11 & 14 says, (11) “Encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. (14) And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”

We don’t write in a vacuum. Life events, people we meet and interact with, our past and current circumstanced all impact each of us and therefore our writing. When you have a blank page staring back at you, words and ideas hide, who encourages you? Who is part of your village? I am grateful that as a member of Inscribe, I have amazing people as part of my village. Thank you so much to all of you. 

 

Carol Harrison feels blessed to have so many encouraging people in her life for everyday happenings and writing too.
 

Good or Very Good by Sharon Heagy

 

      The garbage challenge. It happens whenever I travel. We only have two forms of garbage on the farm, burnable and non-burnable. But enter the big city and there is a bin for waste, a bin for recycling, a bin for compost, a bin for cans and bottles and the list goes on! But what goes where? I found myself at Fall Conference standing in the hallway staring at two bins, recycling and waste. As I looked at the depictions of what was to be put in each one, I found the items overlapped and I didn’t know where to put the Kleenex clutched in my palm. The other unknown factor was what I had done with the tissue before it ended up in my palm. Had I cleaned my glasses with it or had I blown my nose or had I used it at all? I couldn’t recall. It was just a waded lump in the pocket of my jeans and it was bugging me. Paper went in the recycle bin, but if I had used it to empty my honker didn’t that make it waste? I didn’t really want to smooth it out and determine whether it had been used or not so I finally decided to toss it into the container labelled waste with feigned nonchalance of knowing what I was doing. It felt a bit naughty, not knowing if I had broken some obscure garbage law, but I was too embarrassed to ask anyone and make a big deal out of where to throw one solitary tissue. Looking around to make sure no one was going to accuse me of a crime, I slid back into the conference room.

            By now many of you have heard or experienced first-hand how God changed the theme of Fall Conference from ‘Finding the Right Words’ to the title of the new InScribe anthology, Creativity and Chaos. Without going into detail about how things seemingly fell apart only to be put back together in a different way, let me say that it was a privilege to watch the InScribe leadership yield to God’s leading as they followed what Colleen McCubbin coined as Plan ‘G’ – God’s plan. 

            Had the conference gone off without a hitch, I am certain it would have been a good conference. The people in charge are people of excellence. But, watching the Spirit lead these wonderful folks, watching them follow after the heart of God, added a dimension that changed a good conference into a very good conference. 

            Genesis 1:31 tells of the completion of creation. “God saw all that He had made and it was very good. (Emphasis mine) Not just good, very good! When the Lord is involved a metamorphosis takes place that changes the ordinary into the extraordinary. Just as God turned Fall Conference from good to very good with the touch of His hand, He can, and will, do the same for our writing. Good writers are gifted. After hearing stories and reading parts of books written by InScribe authors at conference, I dare say they write well. Yet, as you peruse their pieces you will find some have written words that pierce your heart and soul and take your breath away. There is something about those words, a ‘je ne sais quoi,’ an undefined quality that goes above and beyond good words. An undefined quality? No. It is rather an anointing, the touch of God’s hand, that transforms good words into very good words. We notice the difference in these words as they stir the surface of our awareness or plunge to the depths of our being. They are very good words.

            May we all follow the Conference committee’s example and seek after God’s own heart and ask that He, in His grace and mercy, might turn words well written into extraordinary words. Let us not write without God’s hand upon our own.