Be Mindful to be a Blessing in 2017 by Rose McCormick Brandon

As a new year begins, I’m struck by my need to care, not about things, the condition of the world, politics, entertainment and other things, but to care about people.
Our purpose for living is to love, to care. Specifically, to care about God and others.
God cares about people. Jesus perfectly demonstrated this by sacrificing His life on the cross. He showed that, above all else, people matter.
People are confused, lost, in denial, wounded and broken. Our purpose for living, the reason we’re alive, the reason we know Christ, is to share His love with them.
Someone said, “Most human problems stem from the fact that we treat people as things and things as people.” God’s interest is always in people, not things.
This phrase in Galatians 6:10 touched my heart - "Be mindful to be a blessing.”
I love the word, “mindful.” Wherever we go, whatever we do, we should be mindful to bless others in our conversation and actions. Being mindful means that we’re conscious of our actions and words, conscious of their effect on others. Their effect should be to bless.
A tall order.
Can I be mindful all the time? Probably not. But, I can try. And with God keeping my mind full of His purpose, I can definitely improve.
God’s incredible purpose for me is that I lift the fallen, encourage the fainthearted and give hope to the hopeless. Without purpose, my life shifts in whatever direction the winds of change take it. Right now, winds of unrest unsettle the globe. As a Christian, I can’t become unmoored by these but remain constant in my endeavor to bless.
What I notice in others who are steadfast in their purpose of being a blessing is that nothing, no loss or unrest, changes them. They keep on blessing others, speaking of Jesus at every opportunity, praying with diligence; their love for others motivates them.
They are my mentors.

Prayer: Father, as I drag myself into a new year, fill my heart with purpose. Remind me of the reason I exist – to be a blessing. Let me not run away from this responsibility but help me to embrace it. People are your priority. Help me to make them my priority.


Rose McCormick Brandon is the author of four books, including One Good Word Makes all the Difference and Promises of Home - Stories of Canada's British Home Children. She writes personal essays and devotionals for several publications.

In Stitches - Kathleen Gibson

I'm sewing again, for the first time in eons.

It started with a trip to the store to buy six kitchen chair cushions – and a trip from the store without any kitchen chair cushions. “I refuse to pay $15.99 apiece for cushions I like, let alone ones I don’t,” I told the Preacher later.

Back home, I dug out some leftover upholstery material and an unused memory foam mattress topper stored in the basement. I’d kept both for years, sure I’d use them – one day. Then from the depths of the hall closet I mined the third part of the equation: my almost-antique Elna sewing machine, buried under kids' puzzles and a toy doctor’s kit. Solid steel and obedient as a steed, last time I used it.

Old Iron Horse needed cleaning and oiling, but after that, it galloped smoothly around the cushion fabric; straight to the finish line each time. A day and a half later, I didn’t have a weekly column written, but my family sat on new chair cushions and a matching runner sat on our table. Placemats, already cut, wait for another weekend.

When our marriage was young, and the children too, I sewed plenty. Raised by two creative parents, I learned early in life that few things are as rewarding as using your own hands to bring form and substance from something lacking in both. I took the same pleasure in a finished sewing project as I have done for years in a finished article or book.

Something unexpected happened during the stitching of those cushions. Amidst the hum of my machine and the crunch of scissors biting through fabric; between enjoying the feel of fabric slipping through my fingers and the sight of each completed cushion, I remembered how I once loved sewing. How its monotony hollowed out a sacred space for thought. Stilled me.

I can't say when it happened. But somewhere along the writing path I’ve followed with such passion for so long, I have subconsciously bought into a falsity: that creating a beautiful pile of words is worth more in God’s eyes than any other activity I (or my neighbor) could do with a pure heart and honest intent. I am wrong, and I needed the Iron Horse to remind me.

We revere the arts, both in society and our churches. We call God the Consummate Artist and vault musicians, artists, writers, worship leaders and their works to unattainable heights of favour. We are wrong there too. God is indeed a Consummate Artist, but scripture reveals him as Consummate
Everything. Surely then, all we do with a spirit consistent and true to the Son of God in us, is equally valuable in his eyes.

What are you up to, fellow Christ-follower? Plumbing, teaching, building, crafting, cooking, serving?  Whatever God leads you to, do it for his glory. And never forget: his smile rests on you.

I will spend this weekend too, in stitches.

Author, newspaper columnist, broadcaster and speaker, Kathleen Gibson lives in Saskatchewan, Canada. Find her online, on Facebook, and sometimes behind her sewing machine.

9 STEPS TO AN UNBALANCED LIFE - By Heidi McLaughlin

A balanced life is over-rated. Before you call me a fanatic and burn me at the Time Management whiteboard I want to ask you. “So how is time management” working for you?”

Over the past ten years we have been saturated with “how to” steps for managing our most precious commodity-time. I was the day I threw my palm pilot into the garbage that I realized I had become a slave to time management. With all the information on how to de-clutter, time management workshops, fat day timers, computer and i-Pad calendars and every piece of technology known to mankind to help us with our 24 hour days, we are still rushing, sighing and feeling overwhelmed and frustrated.

A balanced life sounds like a wise, wonderful concept; but what happens when our finely tuned “one hour increments” in our day timer fall behind and we fall apart? In a question and answer period at one my conferences someone asked me the question, “So Heidi, how do you manage your time?” It had been a long time since I looked at my daily life and this question evoked some serious evaluation. I became acutely aware that I am so blessed to be a mom and grandmother; able to still work four days a week, write books, speak across the country and mentor younger women. It made me realize that I am able to describe my life the way my youngest granddaughter’s face lights up when she is delighted about something and exclaims: “That’s yummie!”

I am deeply passionate about leaving my fingerprint on the earth in a meaningful and powerful way.  The bible inspires me with this truth: “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12 NIV).  Here is what those words mean to me:

1.    Say “Yes” to Yummie.  God has given all of us gifts and passions to make our lives, and this world a better place to live.  Ask yourself this question, “What makes my heart pound? What keeps me awake at night dreaming, thinking planning? What do other people say I am good at?” Those are gifts God has given each of us. How dare we not use them?

2.    Say “No” to clutter and useless, meaningless tasks.  Why do we feel it necessary to fill our days with things that have no value; meaningless tasks that rob us of our passions and smiles?

3.    Pray and ask God for His wisdom how to live each day. Do this before you create another calendar event into your i-phone and the two alerts to keep you on track..

4.    No, we are not responsible for everything that happens in everyone’s life.

5.    Get proper rest. Fatigue makes cowards out of us. It makes us vulnerable and before we know it, we are caving in and signing up for another thing that will rob us of more energy.

6.    Realize there are seasons of being totally out of balance. I just finished a difficult season of caring for my mother before she died; challenging disruptions at work and speaking at many conferences.  My life has been totally out of balance for a few months, but my heart is still pounding with passion and purpose.

7       7. Realize this life is about relationships and not process. The bible reminds me of this in such a powerful way: “You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man's life is but a breath” (Psalm 39:5 NIV). The breath of God within each of us is more important that the petty little tasks that consume our hours. 

8.    If you don’t know your gifts or passions, ask God to reveal them to you. He will gladly do it. ^“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5 NIV).

9.    Create your own “magical trash can” and get rid of all the “shoulds” that are robbing your joy.

God has given you and me the “breath of life” on this planet to make a beautiful and powerful impact on mankind. I don’t believe God ever meant for us to be chained to a time machine. As energetic, smart people, God fearing people living in this 21^st century, we must take the time to discover our strongest gifts, passion and the purpose that God has given us. Having clarity about our daily purpose will fill our life with pure pleasure and satisfaction. It’s time to stop, smile and say “yes to the yummie.”

 Heidi McLaughlin lives in the beautiful vineyards of the Okanagan Valley in Kelowna, British Columbia. She is married to Pastor Jack and they have a wonderful, eclectic blended family of 5 children and 9 grandchildren. When Heidi is not working, she loves to curl up with a great book, or golf and laugh with her husband and special friends. You can reach her at: www.heartconnection.ca

IS THAT A "Should" ON YOUR SHOULDER? - by Heidi McLaughlin

“If you had only thirty days to live, what is one thing in your life that you would stop right now? This provoking question fueled a lively discussion among my group of friends. After much animated banter, one main theme glaringly came into focus: Eliminate the life-sucking “shoulds”from our daily activities. We agreed that many of succumb to the guilt-induced obligations because we are afraid that people might not like us or approve of us. The interaction got even livelier as we tried to determine the obligations we needed to let go of so that we could enjoy the vibrant, fulfilling life that Jesus came to model for us.

There is one main statement I hear among women these days: “I am so tired!”It is a proven statistic that today we sleep 1-1/2 hours less that we did one hundred years ago.[i] More motor vehicle accidents are being reported because men and women are falling asleep at the wheel. There is an increase of sleep disorders, illnesses, depression and anxiety. What does this have to do with the “shoulds” in our daily activities? Many of us are working very hard to meet the demands of every day existence, but sadly, we also succumb to the “shoulds” that deplete our energy, cause our stress and rob us of freedom and joy. I think it is crucial that I ask myself this question: “As an author, do I write because it is my passion, it fills my soul, it gives me joy, or, do I write because I don’t want to disappoint people or even try to prove something?”

Whenever I am in doubt, I look to Jesus who modeled the abundant, fulfilling life. I can visualize him looking around at a ragged, bunch of over-zealous, overburdened humans and He was compelled to say this: “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly" (Matthew 11:29 MSG).

Whenever I read these words I feel like I want to curl up in His lap and cry. I want to get away from all the unnecessary shoulds in my life and learn how to live the “unforced rhythms of grace.” I need to be confident and bold enough to say “yes” to only those things that I have been created to do. Marcus Buckingham, the author of Find Your Strongest Life, says this about the shoulds. “Because you neglect the specific moments that strengthen you, your life gradually becomes filled up with the grab bag of activities and responsibilities. You may have a good reason for taking on each of these responsibilities-everything from…’If I don’t do this, no one else will’ to A good mother should do this.” [ii]Unfortunately this barrage of demands makes women feel responsible and we end up doing things that are not part of God’s plan for our lives.

So how do we find those “unforced rhythms of grace” and begin to say no to the “shoulds” and find that rest we so desperately need? Let’s walk with Jesus and learn from Him:

1.         He knew His purpose. Yes, he worked hard, but he always focused on His purpose in life…”to do the will of His Father”  (John 8:28; Matthew 26:39).
2.         He prayed. Early in the morning He went up to secluded places to talk to His Father (Luke 6:12, Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16).
3.         He fed on the word of God. When He was vulnerable and tempted, He told Satan, “It is written” (Matthew 4:4, 10).
4.         He slept when He was tired. In the midst of chaos and storms, Jesus was able to sleep because His soul was at rest (Matthew 8:24).
5.         He was thankful for His present circumstances. Before Jesus performed miracles, or broke the bread and served the wine-He looked up to Heaven and prayed (John 11:41, Mark 14:22).
6.         He owned very little “stuff”. He was not obsessed with accumulating new clothes, toys or technical equipment that seems to consume our time (Matthew 8:20).

Trying to please everyone in this life is exhausting; it drains us of energy when we succumb to the authority of other people instead of Christ. Oh that we might learn to let go of some of the ugly “shoulds” in our life and move into step with Jesus as we practice the unforced rhythms of grace.

[i] http://psychcentral.com/lib/2010/sleep-deprived-nation/ (August 24^th, 2012)

[ii] Marcus Buckingham, Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2009) 90, 91.

Heidi McLaughlin lives in the beautiful vineyards of the Okanagan Valley in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. She is married to Pastor Jack and they have a wonderful, eclectic blended family of 5 children and 9 grandchildren. When Heidi is not working, she loves to curl up with a great book, or golf and laugh with her husband and special friends. You can reach her at: www.heartconnection.ca

And So I Prayed - Laura J. Davis

I have always been a writer, but I didn't realize it until I started writing full-time about twelve years ago. Up until then I had been a singer/songwriter. While my singing career started out with ideas of fame and fortune in my head, God had other plans.

When I made the move to give my life over to the Lord, I had held one thing back - my singing voice. I had been a trained coloratura soprano, who hated opera! I took the voice God gave me and chose to sing in bars instead of accepting a scholarship to Julliard's based on my opera singing. Yes ... I was a stupid 18 year old.

When I finally gave ALL of my life to the Lord, not just my heart, I committed to singing for Him. It wasn't easy. The only hymn I knew at the time was Amazing Grace. I had no idea what I would sing, how I would be accompanied and more importantly, where I would sing. So I prayed, "Lord, if you want me to sing for you, make my path clear."

One month later I received a guitar for my birthday from my parents. I knew the basics, as I had taken lessons when I was twelve, but I had the overwhelming feeling that God wanted me to use it to accompany myself. What was I to do? Sing Amazing Grace at church all the time? Besides, I could barely remember the chords. God, I thought, was joking with me. So, I prayed, "Lord, if you want me to play the guitar and sing for you, please teach me how to play this thing." Within one year I had written over 22 songs and was proficient enough to "take it on the road."

But where would I go? I knew absolutely no one in Christian music ministry. So, I prayed, "Lord, show me what to do next. Where do I go?"

The following day I received a phone call to come and sing at Teen Challenge. I  was so incredibly afraid that I would have to play my guitar in front of people, that I said no! God gave me another chance and I received a call from Teen Ranch to come and play for the weekend. I made lots of excuses - I'd never played my guitar in public before, all the songs were my own, etc., they said, "Come anyway. We'll be your sounding board." So, I went and from that day forward I never lacked for places to sing. I never called anyone or promoted myself in any way. God was my "booking agent". 

The songs also kept flowing and before I knew it I was on 100 Huntley St. debuting one of them. Some were even recorded by other artists and played on the radio. I recorded an album and appeared on 100 Huntley St. again. I continued singing until the the fall of 2000 when a tumour was discovered in my abdomen. During its removal something went wrong and I almost died. When I woke up, my throat was very sore. I was assured it was due to the tubes that had been stuck down my throat and it would go away. The doctors were right. The soreness did go away, but whenever I attempted to sing my voice would crack. I could no longer hit the high notes I loved. The power in my voice was gone. This continued on for months, until I realized I would never sing again like I used to.

My depression and anger with God over losing my voice was overwhelming. I felt like one of my arms or legs had been cut off. I now had no purpose. Sure, I was a wife and mother and I loved those jobs, but for me it wasn't enough. I had nothing to offer back to the Lord. I was like a ship without a rudder. The creative side of me needed an outlet, the spiritual side of me needed to share the gospel. I didn't know how to do this anymore. So, I prayed, "Lord, what can I do now?"


He said, "Write about me." 


Little did I know what a healing process that would be. Until next time!

Why Do I Write?

by Glynis M. Belec


So I dished out the homework at our last Writers Unite meeting and no one grumbled.

"Write a 200 - 300 word essay titled: 'Why Do I Write?'" I said in my nicest voice.

I handed out the usual directives to write from the heart and let the words flow.

"Dig deep and try to fathom the real reason you use words - whether it is through song, poetry, prose..." I did prattle on.

My lovely fellow scribes are a contented and wonderfully supportive group when we gather each month at our obliging little down-town studio. (And I still am in awe at the way they seem to trust me lots when it comes to the written word.)

Some days, when I get zero accomplished in the writing department, I feel such a phony. At the meetings I encourage everyone to try to find at least some time in a day to write. I tell them the importance of keeping at it and I tell them to never give up hope and to pursue with passion what God has laid before them. I need to practise what I preach!

As I was enjoying the beauty of  today, and contemplating dropping a Facebook reminder to everyone to not forget their homework, I realized that I, too, need to do my homework. I need to do my homework not because I fear the backlash of my fellow writers, or anticipate the naughty chair. After all, should the leader be required to do homework, too?

Ah yes, I need to do my homework and ask myself Why do I Write? so that I can inhale deeply and be refreshed and reminded about how much God has blessed me with something I never thought I deserved.

So...why do I write?

I write because the words that I need to come out of my mouth don't.
I write because I have little voices inside my head compelling me to do so.
I write because God gave me a voice.
When I look around I see the hurried, the harried, the beleaguered, the forlorn.
I see the beauty, the purpose, the confusion, the significant.
And I want to write about it.

I write because I am fascinated with how 26 little letters can be combined to create thousands of words.
I write because I love to hear someone say, "I can really relate to that" or "thanks for giving me a smile" or "I understand what you are going through."

I write because God gave me a purpose.
When my mind drifts, it drifts to places that excite and spur me into action. I want to write down what happened because I am sure someone would like to know about it. Or not.

I write because I love to communicate; to connect; to impart learned ideas or thoughts.
I write because a teacher once told me I was good at it.
I write because sometimes it feels like I am worshipping God.
Pouring out my heart on a page is balm for my soul. Behaviour modification is accomplished when I focus and adapt. Then I still myself - ready to think and speak through words. I love that feeling.

I write because of the satisfaction I acquire from seeing how words can stir a soul.
I write because of the sense of accomplishment.
I write because there is so much to share about God's Amazing Grace.
When I write there is something surreal about the journey - the beginning, the middle, the end.
When I write with God on my mind...and with gratitude in my heart for the love of words; when I listen for His direction and respect His timing, I feel like I understand a little tiny piece of God's heart.

...That is why I write...

Oh, that my words could be recorded. 

Oh, that they could be inscribed on a monument, 

carved with an iron chisel and filled with lead, 

engraved forever in the rock. 

"But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, 

and he will stand upon the earth at last. 

And after my body has decayed, 

yet in my body I will see God! 

I will see him for myself. 

Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. 

I am overwhelmed at the thought! 

Job 19:23-27 (NLT) 

A Trio Sings of the Great Reversal- Eleanor Shepherd

A Trio Sings of the Great Reversal

Hannah’s praise song (I Samuel 2: 1 – 10) is part of a trilogy of praise songs by women of faith in the Bible. The other two praise singers are Miriam, who led the singing after the Israelites had escaped from their Egyptian captivity and Mary, the mother of Jesus who celebrated the deliverance her Son would bring to the world.

Hannah rejoiced at being liberated from the stigma of being a barren wife. Miriam rejoiced that she and her people had been freed from bondage. Mary rejoiced that the sovereign Lord had considered her worthy to give birth to His own Son.

In seeing God at work, these women discovered that He does not fit into our patterns of thinking. The values of God are different that the values of our world. Each of the women echoed this idea in the songs of praise they voiced.

We see in each of the songs God’s great reversal. Hannah talks about how God cares for the poor. “He treats them like princes,” are the words used in one translation. We regard the poor as helpless, not as those to be revered. Hannah would probably understand the attitude of someone like Mother Theresa who tried to see the face of Jesus, in the poor to whom she ministered. Perhaps that helped her treat them like princes. We may find new purpose as we learn to value those who would not be considered important in socio-economic terms. Seeing people this way may, like Hannah give us reason to rejoice.

For Miriam the great reversal was revealed in the way that the Lord leads with love. (Exodus 15: 13.) No longer is power found in brute strength. Even though the enemies of her people have just been destroyed, she somehow understands the strength of the Lord is found in His love. This message shows up so often in the teaching of Jesus. We find new purpose in discovering that no good comes when we respond to violence with retaliation. When we overcome violence by love, when we truly do turn the other cheek, we really overcome our enemies. That love is the strength that comes from the cross of Christ.

Mary describes the great reversal in terms of God’s mercy. (Luke 1: 50 – 51) She tells how He removes princes and he exalts the lowly. The lowly are not exalted simply because they are lowly, but rather because they recognize their need of God. They know the truth that Jesus proclaimed in John 15. Without Him, we can do nothing of lasting value.

The princes believe they possess power and do not realize the power that makes a difference is that which comes from the Lord of mercy and grace. Mary tells how the hungry are satisfied and the rich sent away empty-handed. God alone call fill the hungry soul and nothing else will satisfy. Our purpose comes not through dependence on our own strength or power, but in dependence upon the strength of love that comes from the Lord and in loving interdependence upon one another. Then our lives can reveal something of the presence of God in our world.

Pruning

Now that it's spring, many of us are pruning shrubs, pulling out weeds, and planting flowers. As spring schedules give way to summer freedom, we will more chances to think about another kind of pruning: pruning our lives.

Many times, our lives becomes cluttered with weeds and suckers that detract from our main purpose. These things may be part of what God has called others to do, but for us, they may be distractions.

So, instead of writing a long post, I'm going to ask you to think and pray about what planting and pruning you'd like to do in your garden and in your life this season.

Blessings and Happy Gardening.

Jane HZ

Communicating for a Change

What is the purpose of our writing?

For fiction writers, many aspects come to mind: entertainment, inspiration, teaching. For non-fiction writers, the list is smaller: teaching and inspiration, sure, but probably not entertainment to the same extent.

But can I make a suggestion today? I think the purpose for everyone, fiction or non-fiction, should be the same thing: communicating for a change. We communicate, in our various ways, because we want to inspire people to grow closer to Christ in our own specific niche area.

In fiction, books do that by allowing us to walk with the characters, experience life through their eyes, and change our hearts. In non-fiction, it's often done from a teaching point of view: this will work, and thus you should do so and so.

I think, though, that non-fiction writers need to learn from fiction writers. The best way to actually inspire change isn't to list a whole bunch of things that people need to learn, or realize, or capture. It's to relate to them on a heart level so that they feel a connection with you, and experience God's touch, so that they will be motivated to change.

Teaching has its role, certainly. But if a person knows everything about doctrine, and everything about proper family life, and everything about the Bible, but doesn't put it into practice, what good is it?

We need to connect with people so that they are inspired to change. That is the role of every Christian communicator.

It is God, of course, who does the inspiration. We are only the vehicle. But if that is not our aim it is far less likely that God will work in that way. If we are simply trying to squeeze as much knowledge into a book as we can, a person may feel smarter after reading it, but won't necessarily do things any differently.

When I started writing I came straight out of university, and I was in the "teaching" mode. As I've been writing and speaking for longer, I've realized this is the wrong approach. I now plan every talk, and every book, by asking the question: what one main thing do I want people to go and do afterwards? And if I can't answer this in a sentence, then I go back to the drawing board.

This is especially important when it comes to speaking, and I have a new blog up called Christian Women's Speaker, where lots of tips are given about how to launch a speaking career, or go further in the one you're in. And this is something I want to drive home: we communicate for change.

And we write for change. I'm working on a new book proposal now, for a humorous book that I hope will help people build their lives on Christ alone, and not on all the other things we trust in during this life. But I'm starting the project with my aim in mind first, not with a list of everything I want to teach.

It's revolutionized the way that I see writing and speaking, and I hope I've put a nugget of an idea in your minds, too, so that it will revolutionize the way we all approach communicating, in whatever realm of life we find ourselves!

Sheila Wray Gregoire speaks across Canada to women's groups and at marriage conferences. She is the author of four books, including Honey, I Don't Have a Headache Tonight: Help for women who want to feel more in the mood. You can usually find her at her To Love, Honor and Vacuum blog!

I Am Not Called to be a Christian Writer - Hall

The journey I have been on for the past couple of years has led me to come to that rather startling pronouncement. Three years ago our church went through Rick Warren's 40 Days of Purpose using his book The Purpose Driven Life - which you have heard of, I am sure.

The book surprised me. It asked probing questions. It changed my thinking about a lot of things. If I could be so bold, I could say that it changed my life. One of its more astonishing pronouncements was that we have no other calling than to worship God. None. I balked at that at first. Naturally I did. I am a Christian writer. It's what I do. and yes, I argued, it's a 'calling'. And besides, it's cool to tell people that I'm called to be a Christian writer.

And then God led me through some very difficult times. Even my very writing, it seemed, was in jeopardy. I began to realize that Rick Warren might be right. If suddenly I could no long write, God could cast me aside as useless trash if my only calling was to be a Christian writer. I began to learn that maybe, just maybe, I'm supposed to worship God, and that is it. My writing, my vocation, is unimportant compared to my relationship with God.

Now, suddenly I am hearing that message everywhere. A small group I'm involved in is studying Larry Crabb's Soul Talk. He refers to C.S. Lewis' First Things and Second Things. The First Thing is worship of God. Second things are everything else - families, jobs, artistic abilities, hobbies and even the good things we do for others.

My husband and I listen to the sermons of Dr. Tim Keller (See http://redeemer.com). He talks about Good Things and Ultimate Things. A Good Thing would be my writing. The Ultimate Thing is my relationship with God. He argues that if we make idols of Good Things, we miss The Ultimate Thing.


Look at Job. In one day, he lost all of his Second Things, his Good Things, but learned that God could be trusted, that God was the only person who could be trusted. God was a First Thing.

Yes, I will continue to write. It's what I do best. It's what I enjoy. But it's no longer my "Calling": I'm trying to give that to God.

(The picture at the side is my husband, Rik, sitting in Einstein's lap, taken on a recent trip to Washington DC.)

Linda Hall
www.writerhall.com