What Makes a Story Meaningful? A Christian Writer’s Guide to Darkness, Hope, and Redemption

From Edie: Discover what makes a story truly meaningful through a Christian lens. Learn how to balance darkness with hope, build redemptive themes, and create stories that resonate deeply with readers.

What Makes a Story Meaningful? A Christian Writer’s Guide to Darkness, Hope, and Redemption

by Zena Dell Lowe @ZenaDellLowe

In anticipation of this year’s Oscars, I’ve been watching as many nominated films as I can—an unpleasant task at times, given the dark worldviews many of these films present. The problem isn’t that these films portray the plight of the human condition. Great stories often do. The problem is when a story makes assumptions about human beings that render suffering meaningless or inevitable.

So today I want to explore the difference between a dark tragedy and a nihilistic story. By nihilism, I don’t mean a story that is bleak or emotionally heavy. I mean a story that assumes there is no ultimate meaning, no moral order, and no real possibility of redemption.

Images of Writing—Hope

Every week I post an image for you all to use online for free. I also took this photo while we were on vacation in late January.

As always you're welcome to use this image as you wish, online. You may post it to social media, your blog, or website. It's my gift to you. I only ask that you not remove my website watermark or use it in print.

Blessings to you all!
Edie

Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, And sings the tune without the words, And never stops at all
~ Emily Dickinson

Weekend Worship—Happy New Year!

Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it? Indeed, I will make a way in the wilderness, rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19

I love New Year’s Day. Not because of the partying and hoopla, but because it marks an end and a beginning. You see, by the time I get to the end of a year, no matter how many good things have happened, I feel dragged down by all the junk that has accumulated.

Those unfulfilled expectations.

The unrealized dreams (usually because I didn’t put in the necessary work).

All the people I’ve let down and who’ve let me down.

By the time December gets here, I can generally pull up enough stuff to depress an elephant. And even worse, it’s never a stretch to blame myself for ninety-nine percent of the failures. But January first gives me the opportunity to start over and begin again, hopefully a little wiser than the year before.

That’s what God is all about, second chances and new beginnings.

So as this New Year begins, join me in putting away the stuff from last year and resolve to begin again on a new year filled with hope and possibilities!