The Need for Mystery - M. Laycock

Marcia Lee Laycock

“Let mystery do its work – encourage the listener (or reader) to participate.” Jeffery Overstreet

“Awaken the questions. Tease the mind into active thought.” – C. H. Dodd

Jesus was the master of mystery. He spoke in parables and hyperbole and metaphor. He rarely, if ever, gave a direct answer to a question. Often he answered a question with another one.

I imagine his disciples were often wandering around with quizzical looks on their faces as they tried to figure out what it was he was teaching them. And I imagine they found that very frustrating. But I’m sure, after wandering the landscape of Palestine with their teacher for three years, they came to an understanding that it was as they searched and pondered and struggled to understand, that they learned more and more about Him and His kingdom.

As writers I believe this is something we should emulate in our work. I believe, as C. H. Dodd said, that we should “awaken the questions” more than seek to provide the answers. It is when we leave our readers asking questions that they become completely engaged in our stories. They want to find the answers and it is oh so much more satisfying when they are led to discover them on their own.

Think about a book you love. What was it about those words that drew you in? The poetry of language perhaps, the lovely flow of words that seemed to sing? Or was it a deeper understanding of something that had eluded you before, the epiphany, the discovery of that which had been hidden? In most cases our favorites are books that were a blend of these things, books that made us think, made us ask questions, books that led us deeper into the mystery of life and the spiritual realm.

When our readers are caught up with the mystery of our stories they can’t let them go. The characters linger because there is a bit of a puzzle in their personality. Their motivations are deep and complex, their fears and foibles real yet still something to make the reader wonder. And then, when the mystery becomes clear, the reader understands more about the world, more about himself and more about the One who created both.

As  David Weinberger has said, "We don't need more information. We don't need better information ... We need understanding ... And understanding is not more or higher information. If you want understanding, you have to reenter the human world of stories. If you don't have a story, you don't have understanding."
 

So let’s follow Christ. Ask the questions, spin the tales, tease the mind and awaken the soul. It’s what He taught us to do. It’s what good writing is all about.

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Marcia Lee Laycock writes from central Alberta Canada where she is a pastor's wife and mother of three adult daughters. Her work has been endorsed by Sigmund Brouwer, Janette Oke, Phil Callaway and Mark Buchanan. She was the winner of The Best New Canadian Christian Author Award for her novel, One Smooth Stone. Her second novel, A Tumbled Stone, was recently short listed in the contemporary fiction category of The Word Awards. Marcia also has two devotional books in print. Spur of the Moment is now in third edition.  Visit Marcia’s Website

 

Abundant Rain

 

Abundant Rain, a devotional for writers of faith is available on Smashwords

A Mini Between Semis - Marcia Laycock

Many years ago, I travelled from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, to Dawson City Yukon - a distance of 5,255 kilometres or 3,265 miles - in an Austin Mini. It was a trip filled with adventure and there were many times when I felt the smallness of my little vehicle. One day in particular comes to mind.

I gripped the wheel of my Mini and concentrated on the flow of traffic around me. I knew the route I had to follow would take me through the heart of a large city. There was no by-pass to avoid the downtown traffic. I stayed in the middle lane to avoid vehicles turning left and right. As the city began to close around me, so did the traffic. I was already feeling a bit claustrophobic when a huge Semi pulled up to my right. We both stopped at a red light. Then another Semi pulled up on my left. The two trucks effectively blocked out the sun. I glanced in my rear-view mirror just as a third Semi pulled in behind me, stopping inches from my tiny bumper. Suddenly I realized my palms were sweaty. I concentrated on the stoplight and the instant it changed to green, my little car sped forward, out from under those looming shadows. I’m sure those truck drivers had a good laugh at my expense. I don’t know if they had intended to intimidate me, but they certainly succeeded in doing so.

I had a similar feeling just a couple of years ago when I attended a large book fair in one of the largest convention centres in the heart of Toronto, one of Canada's largest cities. I stood on the edge of that hall and stared at an overwhelming number of booths and displays. My ears buzzed with the hum of people - authors, publishers, editors, media people - all there for one reason - to promote or advertise or talk about books. The word "intimidated" does not come close to how I felt at that moment. I stood rooted to the spot. But then I saw a familiar face and told my legs to move. Within a few moments I was among friends and the panic attack I had felt coming on faded away. I was still a very small fish in an ocean but at least there were a few others just like me.

There are many times in a person's life when circumstances may overwhelm and fear threaten to paralyze. But God has promised to give us a way out - like a green light at an intersection, or a smiling face in an unfamiliar setting. That way is His only Son, Jesus Christ. Focusing on Him will lead us through any circumstance, any difficult place. Trusting in Him will give us the courage to walk the path He has chosen for us, even when it takes us into places where we don't feel we belong, like a huge book fair in a far away city, or a cancer clinic in our home town.

So "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning the shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).
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Marcia Lee Laycock writes from central Alberta Canada where she is a pastor's wife and mother of three adult daughters. She was the winner of The Best New Canadian Christian Author Award for her novel, One Smooth Stone and also has two devotional books in print. Her work has been endorsed by Sigmund Brouwer, Janette Oke, Phil Callaway and Mark Buchanan. The sequel to One Smooth Stone will be released in 2011. A collection of devotionals for writers has just been released here. Visit Marcia's website

The Road Taken - Atchison

Recently in a writer’s workshop I was re-introduced to a Robert Frost poem, “The Road Not Taken”. The last few lines of Frost’s poem caught my attention the most. Perhaps, these few lines are some of the most popular ever written.

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

What chosen path has made all the difference in your life? I have to be honest. I don’t like change. I fight like crazy to keep my life from changing, but then I know that God must have a plan for me. So why can’t I trust Him?

I’ll pray for changes in my life, and then when things start going awry, I wonder, "What the heck is happening?” and try to keep everything normal. I like the road in my wood to be downtrodden, with plenty of nice picnic areas along the way, good scenery and no stones to trip over.

Whereas the road God sends me down has long grasses that block my view. I stumble upon obstacles I can’t see in the dense fog that is in my new world. I don’t know where to turn, and for those I meet on the road, I don’t know who to trust.

Yet somewhere on my new travels I find sunshine and views that are spectacular. Where there are no picnic benches to rest upon, I keep going, finding instead rich meadows that I can sing and dance around.

When change comes I still the pounding of my heart and trust in God and the different paths He chooses for me, be they the same road I am familiar with or something totally foreign. For I know every road I travel will take me to places that make me a stronger, better person, bringing me closer to God and His plan for me.

Change is imminent! While I may not see it coming, and when faced with a choice in the road to take, I’ll take the one less traveled. For I know in my heart that I’ll not walk the road alone. God will be there with me, every step of the way – and that will make all the difference!

Patricia L. Atchison
Website: www.patricia@patriciaatchison.ca
Writing & Publishing Blog: www.aboutwritingandpublishing.com

Spiritual Journey – Lawrence

You trace my journeys and my resting-places and are acquainted with all my ways. Psalm 139:2

God guides me along my way and I follow where God leads. I take every step that God takes. We step together as in a line-dance—side by side and in the same direction. It is not like dancing a waltz where one person goes forward and the other must step backward. No, this is a dance where we go in the same direction. We move side by side, our eyes looking toward the same goal, the same outcome—God is the direction and God is the way.

God is the map for our life. God traces our way as on a triptik. On a map, we see many roads that can take us to the same place. Some are direct like straight highways; some are country roads that meander their way along—perhaps their surface is not as good as the surface of a highway but the surrounding scenery maybe more beautiful. Some roads pass among houses, some among office buildings; some are pathways through parks beside little streams while others may cross over fast-moving rivers. The goal for our life is constant but the journey can take us along many different routes at different times in our lives.

I always enjoy the cartoon of Charlie in the weekend newspaper. How he loves exploring along his way when he leaves home on some excursion, making the most of every thing he sees and every person he meets, trying to make his trip as long and as exciting as possible.

As we go through life and grow in our spiritual life we experience many stages on our journey. There are times of walking and times of resting; there are times of climbing mountains and times of descending into valleys; there are times of fasting and times of nourishment. Through all these times God is with us as our guide and companion; our sunshine and our shade; the coordinator of our lives.

Life is continual change—little deaths and little births, a new experience every morning. Yesterday has passed away, today has come and is present now, tomorrow will be our new life. Our moments come, are lived and pass away into our memories where we can relive them in joy and remember God’s loving protection and guidance along our journey.

The goal of our journey is eternal life with the Divine, the ways to get there are diverse but all bring us to the harbour for which we are bound, in God’s infinite wisdom and love.

© Judith Lawrence (This meditation was first published on my website www.judithlawrence.ca in August 2007)