Friday 28 June 2013

Passing that Baton on

It was a perfect autumn day. I sat there in my backyard relishing the blue skies as they smiled down on me. Golden sunshine danced around me like salsa dancers at their finest – bringing colour and joy into my world. A mad wind tore around my garden. All the plants and trees in my yard bowed to it in subservience.

More glad breezes rushed in suddenly. As they passed each tree, the tree in question performed a merry dance to its music. Faster and faster – shaking its leaves like a belly dancer in green, moving her body enchantingly and enticingly. The breeze passed to the next tree which took up its dance. And the next… and the next. I watched spell bound. Very intriguing – almost as if a message was being passed from tree to tree.

It reminded me of a baton being passed from tree to tree, from bush to bush from plant to plant. A baton handed to a tree which took up the dance before handing it to the next one. And so it went on. A fascinating sight.

Passing the baton. As I muse on the topic, a thought occurs to me. As writers, do we take the baton from our forerunners? Do we in turn pass a baton on? Do we continue something that was begun centuries ago – from hieroglyphics on walls to writing on animal skins. From ancient writing on papyrus to computer typing in the modern day.

Aren’t we blessed that we have so much modern paraphernalia to write on and write with? Being a writer who’s handwriting is a disgrace (sorry, but it’s true) – I can’t tell you how thankful I am that I live in an age when I am excused if I type letters rather than write them. At least people can read my letters that way. I’m blessed to use a word processor that can check my spelling at the click of a button. I’m grateful I can cut and paste and edit my documents freely because I use a computer to write my books and not paper and pen as in days gone by.

We who live in the 21st century have much to be grateful for, don’t we? We take the baton from writers who have gone before us. L.M.M. Montgomery is one I’d love to take the baton from. There are many more. Jeffrey Archer, Mary Stewart, Louisa M Alcott, Markus Zuzak, Richard Foster, Philip Yancy, C.S. Lewis, N.T. Wright, C.S. Lewis, Dallas Willard are a few who spring to mind. Their writing has greatly impacted my life. I have been blessed to learn from them. Yes, I’d love to get the baton from each of them.

As writers, each of us is unique. And yet –our writing is the result of much reading and learning and accepting batons from numerous remarkable writers from the past. Best of all, we have a story to tell that has eternal consequences. We aren’t writing just to make a dent in the literary world. As Christian writers we are writing because of the flame God lit in our hearts when we became His.

We write because we can’t help but share the good news in whatever form we are called to - either implicitly or explicitly. We write because the love of God shed abroad in our hearts compels us to share the glad news of the Greatest Story ever told.

How’s your writing fire burning these days? If you are discouraged, disappointed, tired or in despair – do take a moment to look back and remember. Remember the baton that was given you by the writers of yore. Remember afresh the baton that was passed into your hand by the Word made flesh when He called you to your own Writing Journey.

May you and I be faithful to our call. May we pass that baton on, with joy, enthusiasm and with much excitement. One day we will see the results of all our writing endeavours and we might even be surprised. In the world’s eyes we may have not done much. But in the eyes of the Our Creator – if we have been faithful to our call, it is enough.

And so…. let me with deep joy, pass that baton on.



Anusha has always been fascinated by the English language and loves playing with words. She is thankful she can continue playing many decades since she first began. She is passionate about Jesus and the difference He has made in her life. She also loves to sing, to make friends, to read, to write, to walk and to admire the beauty of God's Creation. Do drop in at her website, Dancing in the Rain to say Hello.

http://anusha-atukorala.webnode.com/

17 comments:

  1. Anusha that is a beautiful post! So visual. I was almost there in the garden with you!

    It made me remember a few very dear people in my life who have done exactly that. People who cared enough to take time to share with an unimportant young girl who was eager to learn.

    I only hope and pray I can pass on the baton in some way to those following.

    God bless you.

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    1. Thanks for the encouragement Rita. Yes, you are right - so many wonderful people input into our lives don't they? I am sure you have definitely passed the baton on many times over!
      God bless you too. xo

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  2. Thanks, Anusha--a beautiful post. I particularly love the paragraph about being faithful to the call to write. That makes all the difference for me. God bless--and keep enjoying that garden!

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    1. Thanks Jo-Anne. Yes, that's all we can do isn't it - be faithful to what He has called us to and leave the results with Him. Will certainly keep enjoying the garden and God bless you too. :)

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  3. As I began reading this post I knew immediately it would be from you - it had the typical 'Anusha Markers': a great imagination and a desire to inspire. Thank you!

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    1. Thanks so much Margaret. That made me smile. Bless you for your words of encouragement. xo

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  4. Lovely post Anusha. It's so good to remember all those in the past who've inspired and encouraged us as writers - and a good reminder that we ought to be encouraging those coming along behind.

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    1. Thanks so much Carol. As I've been reading the responses I suddenly realised I didn't touch on others who have inspired us and passed the baton on in our spiritual journeys too. Yes, we need to pass that baton on, don't we? Blessings and thanks Carol.

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  5. Yes, the least we can do is take the baton from those who have taken on the world of writing when it was far more difficult. No eBooks, no computers, no ease of research, tapping away on their old typewriters. I salute them all.
    And in the future, there will be writers taking the baton from us, with technology we haven't dreamed of.

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  6. You got that right Paula. I wonder what technology our grandchildren will be using 50 years from now. The mind boggles! :) And yes, we have it good compared to our forerunners don't we? :)

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  7. Hey Anusha
    When I started reading this I thought that you were giving the game away. Glad you aren't. Those from before are our heritage we are their progeny, those who may be inspired by us are the future. When I think of passing a banner it is in the context of a relay runner so I am glad that my initial perceptions proved inaccurate.

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    1. I do like to keep my readers guessing Brian! :) Yes we all have been inspired haven't we? May we likewise inspire many who come after us. We certainly have been blessed by the works of many amazing writers before us! Blessings to you.

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  8. Great post Anusha. I'd love to take the baton from L. M. Montgomery, Harper Lee (To Kill a Mockingbird), Joni Eareckson, Corrie Ten Boom to name a few. Your post also made me think of the people who've had an input into my writing life - my lecturers at Tabor, the Quirky Quills and their feedback, my hubby who encourages me and even my high school English teachers. (See Mr Bradley, I did keep writing!). I've also felt God calling me to encourage other writers and pass on the tips I've learned. Actually, some of them call it nagging, but they've given me permission to keep it up. It would be great to look back in 50 years and see what impact our CWD group has had in the Kingdom. Blessings Anusha.

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  9. Thanks so much Nola for your encouraging words. Thanks for the reminder too - yes, I too would like to take the baton from Harper Lee, Joni Eareckson and Corrie Ten Boom. Thanks also for mentioning others who have shaped your writing journey - makes me realise how many others do input into our lives along the way.

    I realised as I responded to you that many non writers have inspired me on my writing journey - just in their influence and their Christian witness. Good on your husband and good on Mr Bradley. Wow - yes, I can think of many English teachers who inspired me on the way.

    I think the CWD troop have encouraged one another for starters - and here's praying we will collectively do much for the Kingdom.
    Blessings and thanks my friend. :)

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  10. The desire to write was embedded in you long before you were born again! God wrote on your heart His plan for you even before you were formed in your mother's womb. We spend our lives allowing this to be drawn out of us, I think, according to 2 Pet.1:3.
    I always appreciate your blog - as much for the way you write as for the thoughts expressed!

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    1. Hi Rhonda,
      You are right of course that the desire to write was embedded in us long before we were born. That's an awesome thought isn't it? Thanks for highlighting the fact. Yes, He knew us and formed us well before each of us were born. You are spot on.

      Thanks for your encouraging words! Bless you. Glad you identified yourself.... didn't know who Arrowhead was! :)

      Blessings Rhonda! xo

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