Treasure in Unlikely Places

How thankful I am for my grocery deliveries—they have changed my life. In days past, I’d spend a few hours at a shopping centre on Monday, then spend the rest of the week recovering. But now—my online shopping is only a few simple computer clicks, and my ever-flagging energy levels remain topped up. Perfect! One cold wet Monday recently, I opened my front door to a lean, lanky young man. “Come in” I said with a smile. He walked inside, his arms laden with shopping bags.

As he strode past my bookcase, he turned, glancing at its contents with hungry eyes.

“What an interesting house!” He placed the shopping on my kitchen bench top.

“Could I have a look at your books?”

“Sure”

It was the first time a delivery man had been fascinated by my books. Come to think of it, it was the first time anyone had looked so rapt at the sight of my precious bookcase, containing my writerly world. He pulled out a couple of books and read their blurbs in deep concentration. Yes, he was a reader. I asked him what he’d been reading lately. His answer surprised me—he’d  been reading Buddhist teachings.

“So you’re interested in spirituality?”

He nodded.

“That’s great!” I felt the tug of the Holy Spirit in my heart. Give him one of your books Anusha. I ran inside and brought a copy of ‘Enjoying the Journey’. Jake (let’s call him ‘Jake’) took it, surprised and grateful. After he left, I prayed fervently for Jake. Strangely enough, just before he’d  arrived, I’d been mulling over the fact that some Christians might share Jesus with their delivery men, sure I wasn’t one of them. But here was a God-breathed opportunity. I prayed that this lovely young man would return so we could have a God conversation. I prayed that he would read my book. I prayed he would and seek and find the Light of the world.

Sometimes we find treasure in unexpected places, don’t we? If I didn’t suffer from chronic illness, I would not have needed Jake to deliver my groceries—and he, a seeker would not have got a copy of a Christian book in his hands.

What are the treasures we Christian writers discover in unexpected places?

Here are a few possibilities:

1.      Did something unpleasant happen to you this year? You've got some interesting writing material!

2.      Did a relationship break down?  Perhaps your new knowledge could be used to enhance your fictional characters?

3.      Did you face a rejection in your writing? You may have learnt to better your craft?

4.      Has your health failed you this year? Could it lead to more times of reading… which would in turn fuel your writing?

5.      Did the Enemy whisper negative words to you? Aha—perhaps he knows you are a writer to be reckoned with? Keep writing

6.      Did life throw curve balls at you? Perhaps it’s made you grow into a more mature writer?

7.      Has finding sufficient time to write been a challenge? Perhaps it’s time to order your life anew? Maybe it's time to discover a different set of priorities for this present season?

8.      Have there been more failures than successes in your writing journey? You know what they say … it can only get better from here!

9.      Do you feel a failure? The perfect soil for a writer's tree to flourish are roots of deep humility. So put on your on writerly gloves and keep gardening.

10. Has your walk with God been on shaky ground? It just might be an invitation from God Himself, to seek Him all over again? Who knows where that would lead.

You and I know too well how hard the battle. Writing is not for the fainthearted; that’s for sure. Rarely has either my life or my writing life gone according to plan. But you know what? God’s used those hard times to help me dig out riches—like a deep pit which yields its sparkling gems, glimmering under the sun, but mined with difficulty, through blood, sweat and tears.

·               Let's throw off the discouragement that often clings to our writerly dreams. Let's embrace our calling and ask God to lead us. Let our hearts, lives and our pens create pages of beauty, truth and goodness, words which will make a difference to our world and resound to His glory.  

Anusha’s been on many interesting detours in life, as a lab technician, a computer programmer, a full time Mum, a full time volunteer, a charity director, a full time job chaser, until one golden day (or was it a dark moonless night?) God tapped her on her shoulder and called her to write for Him. She has never recovered from the joy it brought her. 

She loves to find others enjoying life with Jesus and does her mite to hurry the process in her world through her writing and through her life. The goodness of God is her theme song through each season, as she dances in the rain with Jesus. Please stop by at her website to say G’day to her. She’d love to see you there. Dancing in the Rain. Her first book "Enjoying the Journey" is a collection of little God stories that will bring you closer to your Creator. 

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