by Linda Gilden @LindaGilden
“If you want to change the world, pick up a pen.” This is one of my favorite writing quotes and is from Martin Luther. Since the moment I heard it, I knew I had heard directly from God as to my calling.
I had always wanted to do something that made a difference. When I first started writing, I was content to write in my office and have a few things published. But sitting there all alone with my computer, didn’t make me feel like a world changer. Looking across the top of my computer out the window at the vast landscape in front of should have been inspirational. Instead because it was all the world I could see every day, it felt very small.
Several things helped me change my perspective about the impact of my writing.
- I had peace about what I was doing. I didn’t feel restless to go do something else. God had called me to be a writer and I was learning the craft. With each successful placement of my work, I had the opportunity to touch or change a life.
- I ceased to worry about how I fit in the writing world and concentrated on doing what God had called me to do. Some like to approach the writing world as a competitive venue. God has a special message for every writer to communicate in a way that is unlike any other writer’s style. I needed to let my uniqueness overflow onto every page.
- I began to receive bits of encouragement from others. Friends commented on my writing, a note or two arrived from people I didn’t even know, my passion continued to grow, aspiring writers asked me for advice.
- Second Corinthians 3:3 says, “You are a letter from Christ…written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of the human heart.” Whether my words are on a computer or spoken by the way I live, I am God’s messenger to the world and others are reading.
Yes, being a writer is a pretty solitary job. However, very few other professions have the opportunity to take their messages directly to their audiences. Can you be a world changer? Absolutely. How? One word at a time reaching one heart at a time.
TWEETABLE
Linda Gilden is an award-winning writer, speaker, editor, certified writing and speaking coach, and personality consultant. Her passion is helping others discover the joy of writing and learn to use their writing to make a difference. Linda recently released Articles, Articles, Articles! and is the author of over a thousand magazine articles and 23 books including the new LINKED Quick Guides for Personalities. Trading Shadows will be released in a few months. Linda’s favorite activity (other than eating folded potato chips) is floating in a pool with a good book surrounded by six of the cutest splashing grandchildren in the world—a great source of writing material! www.lindagilden.com
Featured Image: Photo by NordWood Themes on Unsplash
Always a word we need to hear.
ReplyDeleteThank you for blessing me today.
ReplyDeleteSuch an inspiring and timely post, Linda. Thank you for writing it!
ReplyDeleteThis comes as an affirmation. I was "feeling" the reality of this, but it helped to hear it again from a successful author.
ReplyDeleteLinda, this "I ceased to worry about how I fit in the writing world and concentrated on doing what God had called me to do" really hit home for me. I've struggled with this question for years. I'm trying to accept the place God has assigned me with thanksgiving and confidence.
ReplyDelete