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.
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.
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.
