What Are You Doing with the Words God Gives You?

by Julie Lavender @JLavenderWrites

My daughter helped three-year-old Benaiah call me two weeks ago while I was attending the Florida Christian Writers Conference. It just so happened that my phone rang during a fifteen minute break, just before a keynote session. I stood outside the chapel and chatted with my grandson on FaceTime.

My observant grandbaby didn’t recognize my surroundings and asked, “What are you doing, Grandmommy?”

I couldn’t think how to explain a writers conference to Benaiah. How do I tell a three-year-old that my retreat with other Christian writers refreshes me spiritually? Revives me emotionally. Invigorates me mentally. Awakens my muses. Renew old friendships and initiates new ones. Teaches me about this craft that I love. And soothes my weary soul. 

“Grandmommy is at a meeting, Benaiah. What are you doing? Is it almost bathtime?”

He didn’t want to answer my questions, but instead, wanted me to elaborate.

“What are you doing, Grandmommy?” This time, he emphasized the word “doing,” and I interpreted his sentence: “I don’t understand what you mean by this meeting, and I’d like a little bit more explanation.”

“Grandmommy is at a meeting to talk about books. Remember Grandmommy’s book that I wrote about Jesus? Grandmommy is here to talk to people about books like that one.”

He seemed satisfied with that answer, and we talked about Power Rangers and chicken nuggets and choo-choo trains and horses and daddy’s guitar and bath toys.

The next night when Benaiah asked to call Grandmommy again, I didn’t pick up. My daughter Jenifer explained, “Grandmommy is still at her meeting, and she can’t answer the phone. We’ll try her again another time.”

My daughter told me later that his response came quickly,. “Grandmommy is telling people about Jesus. She’s talking about books.”

How lovely that my grandson associates talking about books with telling people about Jesus! 

Isn’t that what we hope to accomplish with any of our words? When he’s a little older, I’ll make sure he understands that writers use their words in lots of ways to tell people about Jesus. A letter to a friend, a sympathy card, a note shared with a family member, a blog post on our website, a guest post to a friend’s website, an online devotion, an in print devotion, a speech read aloud to others, a sermon shared with a congregation, a newsletter, a magazine article, a newspaper article, a story in a compilation, or a published book.

Words put together on paper or computer screen, guided by the Lord, to tell others about him. It’s a gift and calling that I’m thankful for. The gift of writing is one of my greatest blessings from the Lord. I’m thrilled to share words that He’s given me. 

 

During this Thanksgiving season I’m especially grateful for each word, each sentence, each paragraph, each manuscript that the Lord instilled in my heart and mind that eventually became published for others to see. I never take my publishing opportunities or writing gigs for granted, because I know each one is a true blessing from the Lord.

I treasure these blessings from Him, but the Thanksgiving season reminds me to be especially grateful and to give Him all the glory. 

 

Thank you, Benaiah, for reminding me that talking about writing is synonymous with telling others about Jesus. At least in my life and the writers I’m blessed to hang out with at the conferences I attend.

 

Thank you, God, for the gift of writing, for grandsons, and for conferences. I’m grateful for these blessings and so many more. YOU are always good.

 

What about you? What writing gifts are you grateful for during this Thanksgiving season? 

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What are You Doing with the Words God Gives You? insight from author @JLavenderWrites on @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)

When Julie counts her blessings, she counts writer friends twice! “Writer friends are double the pleasure,” she boasts. “They get extra points!” Julie considers writing conferences at the top of her blessings’ list, too, and she loves to encourage others to attend conferences. Julie is the author of Children’s Bible Stories for Bedtime (and is excited that the hardback edition released two days ago) and 365 Ways to Love Your Child: Turning Little Moments into Lasting Memories. 

Featured Image: Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash