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“I don’t have any talent”.

 

I vividly recall saying that to my father when I was about 13. I was a decent dancer but not good enough to compete. I was on the softball team but spent little time on the field. I didn’t play an instrument. I couldn’t sing. Yup, talent-less.

 

But….the notebooks, the journals, the legal pads filled with writing.

 

Poetry. Short stories. Endless journal entries. Later news stories , articles, essays.

 

One spoken word piece I wrote 20+ years ago starts, “The pen and pad is all I ever had…”

 

I always thought that writing was just my way of escape; a coping mechanism I developed in early childhood to disconnect from what was happening in my environment. But with my father’s insight, I came to see that my writing was not only an escape but a vehicle by which I could bless others. My Dad said writing was MY talent.

 

The power of the written record.

 

The power of the pen enables you to go back, reflect and see the progress you’ve made. Two nights ago I stumbled upon a large binder with notes from when I was a new Christian. I was completely in awe of how God had taken all that Word, pages and pages of material from classes, workshops and bible study and stored it in my heart. I sat in amazement as I reflected on how those words are now my LIFE. Those words have been inextricably written on my heart.

 

From written records we learn about people, their cultures, and their habits. We learn about our planet, its variations and its inhabitants from maps, a form of written record. And we learn about the Most High God from the best-selling written record ever, The Holy Bible. The written record has POWER.

 

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4

 

Today we have access to a wealth of information. The Library of Congress has more than 162 million items in more than 470 languages in its collection. And while that is a large breath of information, it is not all applicable to us individually. God has divinely wired us to receive information in ways that are specific and relative to us. There is a saying, “There is nothing new under the sun”. And be that as it may, God has attuned our eyes and ears to see and hear message in ways that we can receive and perceive. [bctt tweet=”God has a group of people whose eyes and ears are attuned to hear from Him, through YOU.” username=”inspiredfully”]

 

Yes, God has a people who are waiting specifically to hear from YOU. You and I may have something similar to say but your background, age, race, and life experience will color the message differently than mine. So don’t you ever doubt, not for one minute the value of your message. Don’t you ever question if the marketplace is saturated. Don’t second guess if you’re supposed to step into the already flooded arena. If God has called you to it, no matter how many others are doing it, there is only one with YOUR voice and that’s you. So take your wealth of knowledge, understanding and wisdom and write it down!

 

Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. Revelation 1:19

 

God is looking for writers.

 

Who will chronicle the great and mighty acts He performs?

 

Who will leave a written record of hope for future generations?

 

Who will inspire those currently in despair?

 

I know you can do it. In a matter of months, I wrote 57,000 words and that finished product will be in your hands in late Spring 2017. In fact, I actually have a ridiculous goal of publishing 3 books this year. Yes 3 books in 2017. God is pouring His oil out on writers. He will give us supernatural grace to record His testimony. He simply needs our obedience.   As a busy mom of 6, I too wondered how I’d find time to write a book. From shuttle kids to and fro all day, ministry commitments, along with a nursing baby attached to me constantly, I wondering how I could get it done. He simply told me, “Just follow My lead”. I obeyed and watched him perform the miracle of writing the first of many books. And He can do it for you too.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!

 

Write on my friends, WRITE ON. The Holy Spirit flows healing out of your pen.

 

Have you heard the call to write? If yes, are you obeying? In the comments below tell me what you’re working on so I can pray with you and hold you accountable.

 

Happy to connect with these friends sharing the Good News Mommy Moments, Purposeful Faith, Grace & Truth, Chasing Community

 

A fourth of the way into the year and I’m assessing my state of belief. Like the State of the Union address, I’m reporting in with myself on my current health, vitality and concerns regarding my state of belief.

 

For the last few years, I’ve adopted one word that has served as my compass for the year. This year my word is BELIEVE. Go back and read that post when you get a chance by CLICKING HERE.

 

To gauge where I am in my believing, I began by asking myself a few questions.

 

What would my life be like if I truly believed I could do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me?

 

Do I believe Christ can do ALL things?

 

Do I believe He’s willing to do ALL things for me?

 

Do I believe I am worthy to receive ALL the things He wants to do in my life?

 

Am I prepared to receive the things I believe Him for?

 

Are the things I believe Him for in line with His Will and His Way?

 

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. Mark 11:22-24

 

Man…these questions will really get you thinking. I pray you spend some quiet time with the Lord, asking yourself these questions, listening to your heart’s response then listening for what God has to say about it.

 

Even though I’ve been a writer all my life, I’ve been hesitant to call myself a writer. Since I was a very little girl, writing was my way of escape. When I was in elementary school, a reading teacher introduced me to the wonderful world of journaling, and it’s something I’ve done ever since. I’ve written in journals and diaries. I’ve written short stories and poetry. I’ve written for school newspapers, city publications and for a Fortune Top Twenty company. I’ve got a degree in journalism. And I have the pleasure of writing in this sacred space on the web. Suffice it to say…. I’m a writer.

 

Almost 20 years ago the Lord has told me I would be a published author (and I wasn’t even saved then). I’ve got many notebooks over here filled with writing, layout, cover ideas and more for several books.

 

One day while having a waking vision, I saw my book cover unfolding before my eyes. My eyes went from the top of the cover and began to scroll down. I could see color, typeset, the title and as I came to the end, where the author’s name would be, where I would read my OWN name, I abruptly stopped the vision. I aborted the vision God was writing right before my eyes. I allowed fear to keep me from SEEING what the Lord has in store for me.

 

NOT ANY MORE!

 

[bctt tweet=”I will no longer abort the vision, I will abort the lies and BELIEVE.”]

 

My husband and I were in a conversation recently and he was encouraging me to get a new laptop if I really wanted to be a writer. I quickly cleared that up, telling him I AM indeed a writer. And I agree in making the investment in myself so I will soon get a new laptop as the one I currently have has a cracked screen and 1/3 of the screen is one big blotch through which I cannot see. The computer is also slow and has little memory. Yes I will invest and believe in what I’ve been called to do.

 

I AM A WRITER.

I AM A SPEAKER.

 

Not only is it the way God wired me, He’s given me a double anointing in wiring me for writing and speaking and upon salvation giving me the gifts of exhortation and teaching. No way to escape it, I’ve been called to encourage, exhort and challenge His people and the medium for that is writing and speaking.

 

So what now?

 

My believing is in alignment with His and I’m aborting lies.

 

Now what am I to do?

 

Here’s the prescription:

 

~Assess Your Believing

~Align Your Believing with His will

~Act on what you believe

 

ASSESS. ALIGN. ACT.

 

I will stand my watch

And set myself on the rampart,

And watch to see what He will say to me,

And what I will answer when I am corrected.

Then the Lord answered me and said:

“Write the vision

And make it plain on tablets,

That he may run who reads it.

For the vision is yet for an appointed time;

But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.

Though it tarries, wait for it;

Because it will surely come,

It will not tarry. Habakkuk 2:1-3

 

We see in these versus, he stood watch, assessing. He aligned by watching to see what the Lord would say and how he would answer once the Lord had corrected him. Then he went on to act by following the Lord’s instructions.

 

ASSESS. ALIGN. ACT.

 

If I am a writer, I must be disciplined and diligent in writing. Not only that, I have to write the words HE’S calling me to write at this season. While I want to write about wellness (an area I feel very comfortable with), He’s calling me to write about parenting (insert sigh. Really God?! This area is an ever moving target). But that’s what He said so I must move forward in obedience.

 

So what are you believing God for?

 

I’m praying with you friends as you dare to believe God to do exceedingly and abundantly above what you can ask or think.

 

As always, it is my prayer that you’ve been Inspired To Live Fully!
Happy to connect with friends sharing the Good News Purposeful Faith, Grace & Truth