Sunday, October 18, 2020

Your Written Words Matter


by Tammy Karasek @TickledPinkTam

We often hear we’re to walk in obedience if we believe God has called us to write. I don’t think anyone of us would dispute that fact. But in various times during our writing path, we may have self-doubt, lose confidence in our ability or wonder if we misunderstood the nudge back when we started down this road.

This year has been a year personally that all of the above popped through my mind off and on throughout the year. I’ve talked to writer friends who’ve felt the same way, too. This year has brought much to think about and a lot of extra time to pause and reflect on various changes that have come our way this year in our lives. Possibly changes that should have been made anyway. 

I’ve heard various comments of feeling lost, confused and that there’s nothing we can do. But I’d like to throw out a suggestion to that last statement. Instead of choosing to not do anything or not try, how about you do what you can do?

Great advice, right? But, like what? 

As a writer, we are positioned in a perfect time to share the hope of Jesus. People have more time to read. More are searching for answers and suggestions. Like Queen Esther says in one on my favorite verses in the Bible:

“And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14 ESV

God has placed us where He wants us to work at building His kingdom and doesn’t owe us an explanation. We don’t have to like what’s happening, but we have the choice of what we’ll do with our situation. We can sit and pout in our chair or we can work with what we have.

I believe we are called as writers for such a time as this. This year—right now—is the perfect time for us, writing from a Christian worldview, to be sharing the good news of the gospel in every way we can in anything we write. Whether we’re writing blog posts, articles, or books, now is a great time to share truth with whoever will read our words. When we pen the words given to us from God, we can have the confidence He will put them in front of whoever He wants to see them. We need only to trust His timing.

There are so many hurting people around us due to the many changes and circumstances of this year that need encouragement and hope. As writers and believers, we have the ability to share both with them. We can write those words to be published in various sources. Those sources can be the obvious of books, blog posts and articles, but let’s not forget the handwritten notes, emails and social media posts, too. We might not be able to walk door to door and share, but we can certainly reach far and wide with our written pieces to be found by someone searching for hope. Someone may be searching for an answer to a question that you’ve written about. Another may be encouraged to push through a rough patch in their life where you’ve shared actionable steps to keep on, keeping on. 

Writer friends, these next couple of months will be hard for so many this year. Holidays usually bring their own problems of sadness, depression, split families, loneliness and more. This year may be harder for so many reasons. 

I’d like to encourage you to pick up your pens, or turn on that computer, and share the love of Christ to those around you. Don’t worry about whom the piece is for, write it. Share it where you can. Be someone who shares the gospel to toss some light in our dimly lit present world. Don’t think your single light won’t matter, it will. 

Close your eyes and imagine this. You’re up in the space station. You sort of see this itty-bitty candle flame flicker—it’s one writer’s words. You look away, then glance down again and there are more little blips of light coming from all over the earth. No big deal, so you move away from the window. Your curiosity gets to you, and you have to come back to glance back down to earth. Each of those single flames representing one writer who boldly sent their words out to the world, has now blended with the other writers’ flames and covered the earth with a vibrant light from all over that huge ball. 

So you think you can’t do anything? I say do what you can with your calling.

Your words matter. 

TWEETABLE

You’ll find Tammy seeing humor and causing laughter in every aspect of life. Her past, filled with bullying and criticism from family, is the driving force of her passion to always encourage others and give them The Reason to smile. She’s been married to her college sweetheart, Larry, for 37 years, a mom to their grown daughter, Kristen, and wrapped around the paw of a little dog named Hattie. Born and raised in Ohio, her family now resides in South Carolina. She is the President of Word Weavers Upstate SC, member of ACFW and My Book Therapy/Novel Academy. She’s the Blog Editor for Word Weavers International. A Conference Assistant for Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference. A monthly contributor for The Write Conversation. A contributor in the 2018 Divine Moments Compilation Book—Cool-inary Moments. Also a regular contributor to several other blogs. 

Connect with Tammy: Blog: HTTP://WWW.TAMMYKARASEK.COM Email: tickledpinktammy@gmail.com

18 comments:

  1. Thank you so much, Tammy. I can't tell you how much I needed to hear that this morning. God bless you in your writing!

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    1. Thank you Kenneth! And sometimes we write what we also need to hear!

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  2. Tammy, such timely words. Thank you for the encouragement to keep writing, to keep spreading our Savior's love.

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    1. You welcome, Marie. Thank you for your kind words.

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  3. Great words, Tammy, and said in such a wonderful way!

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  4. Love this, Tammy! Thanks for YOUR words today.

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  5. Great words for today, Tammy. Thank you.

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  6. Hey Tammy, I love this! When we take our eyes off ourselves and whatever situation we are in, we can see the bigger picture. The picture of those who are hurting and need hope. Thanks for pushing us onward to share the light.

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    1. Thank you, Barbara. Great insight you shared.

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  7. Tammy, I've often asked myself, 'who do you think you are? Do you think the world NEEDS your writing?', for more years than I remember. This reminder is always timely for me, and thank you, Barbara, take our eyes off of ourselves? Ouch! But that's part of the problem as well. Very well timed words. Donevy

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  8. Amen. This is a wonderful encouragement. Thank you Tammy.

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  9. Ah, Deboraw. I've come to realize that almost every writer says that statement to themselves more times than we'd like to admit! But we also need to remind ourselves it's a lie and where that lie came from. The creator of lies himself. Blessings to you.

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