I used to worry, but no more.
Here's how I learned to cast those worries aside.
I read Ephesians 4:29 (King James Version because I love the Shakespearean sound of the words, very poetic): "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers."
My words are written to bring glory to His name, to help the hurting, to bring hope to the lost, and most importantly to tell real life with real words. I will continue to strive to maintain the command set forth in Ephesians.
How did I stop worrying about sales and bookstores and what to write, etc.?
I watched Definition of a Trader with Brain Mosley from RightNow.org which is featured on YouTube. A trader is defined by this:
- a new kind of missionary
- a movement that requires us to live out our faith
- to sacrifice and be intentional with our time, money, and skills
- see work as worship
- everything we do in life can be an opportunity to worship God.
Basically we, as followers of Christ, must be kingdom focused and not self-focused.
Once that was drilled into my head and stamped onto my gray matter, I learned that it isn't about money. It isn't about prestige. it isn't about being on the best-sellers list. It's all about GOD.
As I write my words and spin my tale, I focus on my Audience of One. He alone knows my heart, my desires, and He alone knows the plans He set before me.
I decided to step up to the plate and accept that challenge. I write for my Lord. I write to show the world His love.
Amen, sister. I just had the privilege of being interviewed by our local paper about the Word Weaver chapter I formed locally when I need some Christian writers to support me as I ran the obstacle course the devil threw at me as I gave birth to my spiritual memoir, my first book, this year. The writer of the article ended it with these words which echo your own: "Unlike many writers in other groups, Word Weavers Destin members don't write for the sole purpose of making money, Manion said.
ReplyDelete"'Their biggest concern is getting their book sold, what kind of profit they can make, getting the maximum number of readers, number crunching ...' Manion said. 'We have all of those as goals, but overrriding all that is our desire to connect people with God in some way through our work.'"
I find great peace in letting God direct the work from my hands. I love the definition of a trader. Thanks for the link to that video.
Chris Manion
www.ChrisManion.com