Why We Write

by Emme Gannon @GannonEmme

Tomorrow is the glorious celebration of Easter, the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus. We will gather and remember Jesus’ holy act of love and sacrifice. For God so loved us that He sent His only Son to suffer and die for our sins so that we who believe can have eternal life. That life of eternal living begins when we believe. That means that even when our bodies leave this earth, the part of us that thinks and feels emotion lives on—alive with Him and all those who have gone before us. 

His gift of mercy and grace extends beyond His sacrifice on Calvary. Nine days after His ascension into heaven, He sent His Holy Spirit to dwell in the spirit of the believer, to strengthen, equip, renew, and reveal His truth. He did this, knowing we are but dust and would continue to fall short. His grace—God’s unmerited favor to those who believe—sustains us as we live our days on this earth. 

A Holy Commission

This is the God we serve. This is the One who calls us to write. This is the Lord who gives talents and then says, Follow Me. Each of us are called to a different and unique task. It is His truth we unashamedly proclaim in our words and stories. This is our calling. Our mission. We write the same song with different words and different voices, but always grounded in uncompromising truth. 

God Uses Our Struggles

“The author who benefits you most is not the one who tells you something you did not know before, but the one who gives expression to the truth that has been dumbly struggling in you for utterance.” Oswald Chambers

Often our words come from a place of profound pain. As we struggle to make sense of tragedy, we infuse our characters with similar struggles, often striking a cord of recognition in the hearts of our readers—revealing inherent beliefs within so that those who read will come away different, their soul touched, their eyes open to a new and more refined light.

Reveal The Hidden Words

If we feel incapable of this great calling, we’re not alone. We must remind ourselves that God works through flawed humans. It’s then we take a deep breath and yield our fears and concerns to God, who happily takes them unto Himself. Then, we sit back at the computer and trust Him. He who called us will not forsake us. There are stories deep inside of each of us that are waiting to be told—words that keep begging for life, but we turn away in fear. 

As we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus, it is my prayer that we also allow those hidden words to come forth in life. He who is life will breathe life into the work He has called you to do. You’ve only to roll away the stone. See, the tomb is empty. He has risen and His spirit dwells in the spirit of each of His children, equipping us to be that “Living letter from Christ to the world.” (2 Corinthians 3:2)

“O God, early in the morning I cry to you.

Help me to pray, 

and to concentrate my thoughts on you.

I cannot do this alone.

In me there is darkness,

But with you there is light;

I am lonely, but you do not leave me;

I am feeble in heart, but with you there is help;

I am restless, but with you there is peace.

In me there is bitterness, but with you there is patience;

I do not understand Your ways,

But you know the way for me . . .

Restore me to liberty,

And enable me so to live now

That I may answer before You and before me,

Lord, whatever this day may bring,

Your name be praised.

Amen”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945)

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Why We Write - thoughts from @GannonEmme on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

Emme Gannon is a wife, mother, and grandmother who loves to write stories that stir the heart. Her award-winning writing has appeared in Focus on the Family magazine, several anthologies, and numerous newsletters. She just completed her first novel.