A Hope is only a Dream until written down - by Jo Wanmer

 A Hope is only a dream until written down...and then it becomes a goal. It obtains substance. As the good book says, 'Faith is the substance of things hoped for.' Faith activated makes things happen.

 

Many years ago I attended a business conference with my husband. The speaker challenged us to set a goal for two years time. She taught us how to set goals every week for fifty weeks to make sure it happened. What was my goal? What did I want to be doing in two years time. Not having a business, I set a goal to preach. It was my calling, but I had little opportunity to exercise my gift.

I put pen to paper and wrote down the dream -  to preach ten times in the next two years. It became a goal. I made a simple chart and marked off every five weeks.The task was to prepare one sermon in each time frame. I added the task to my calender and largely forgot the idea. When the reminders popped up, I'd outline a sermon in my journal using revelation the Lord had given me. 

The strangest thing happened. About five months before the two year mark, I had preached one sermon, maybe two. I wasn't paying close attention. Then our pastor resigned suddenly. The leadership asked me to preach and organise other speakers. And yes, by the time the fifty weeks was up I'd preached ten times or more. How did that happen?

We must move our hopes and dreams, even our callings from God, into definite written goals. 

In my last blog here on 30th May, I wrote about Goals and Deadlines. I shared the steps I was creating to achieve publication. The timeline for my efforts was the Omega conference in Sydney. I'd booked. I was determined to use it to learn enough and make the connections to be published.

Life intervened, as life always does. A wedding was scheduled for the same weekend leaving me with a difficult choice. I cancelled the conference and left my goals floundering without a time line. However I pushed on, fulfillng tasks, editing, determined to get at least one book published.

Sometimes fulfillment comes in unexpected ways. If your eye is firmly on the goal, it manifests even from a different direction. Now, two months after I publically declared my determination to see my books printed, I have an agreement with a publisher. A publisher who produces a polished, professional product. Maybe, just maybe, it will be out by the end of the year. 

As excited as I am about this, it has spurred me to greater goals. Two books published a year is the new goal. And I must keep on writing more, so I've decided to join NaNoWriMo in November. At the moment my brian is locked in editing mode, but I have a date to release the creative side of me. It is another positive goal.

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and men of violence take it by force. Matt 11:12

Our writings are a part of the growth of the Kingdom. Jesus looked for men and women of violence to take it by force. In some little way, I think our determination is helping this task.

What is your goal? Have you written it down? Put it on the wall where you see it often. 

My husband pinned a picture of a car on a corkboard. I took no notice. Then one day we decided to buy a new vehicle before the end of June. He was busy. Armed with his instructions I bought a Honda taking the only car they had available. When I drove it home, he pointed to the corkboard. It showed the exact same car, down to every detail - model, leather seats, sun roof and colour. There is such power in a written, activated goal.

Do you have similar stories? Please share them in the comments.

Jo Wanmer lives in Qld with Steve, her husband of 53 years. Her greatest achievement is 9 great grandchildren under five! She writes out of her passion to bring a dynamic faith and daily experience of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit to her readers. God loves everyone of them and is waiting to embrace them, chat with them and laugh together.

Her first book, Though the Bud be Bruised, won a Caleb award in 2012. The next book is entitled El Shaddai, the book where God is a character. 

Up, Up and Away: Writing Lessons from Superman's Creators

 

Do you have writing dreams? Maybe you’re working on your debut novel, but the plot and characters aren’t working. Perhaps you’ve tried to find an agent or publisher, but you've received a dreaded rejection letter. Maybe you’re self-publishing, but the learning curve has you bamboozled. Perhaps you sent your book baby off to an editor and it came back with hundreds of corrections and comments.

If you can tick any of those boxes, you have more in common with the creators of Superman than you think. Appearing in the first issue of Action Comics in 1938, Superman has become the iconic superhero that practically invented the genre and spawned a whole industry—radio and TV shows, movies, animated features, merchandise, fan clubs, cosplay, action figures, the list goes on. Superman movies and TV shows are still being made, and Action Comics is still being published by DC Comics. Indeed, Superman is one of the greatest publishing success stories of all time.

Wherever we are in our publication journeys, there are some lessons we can learn from Superman’s creators.

Meet Jerry and Joe

 

Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster met in high school when they were about 16. (In the photo, Jerry's the one standing.) They gravitated towards each other through their shared Jewish backgrounds and their love of science fiction, newspaper comic strips and swashbuckling silent screen stars. A few years later, they submitted a comic book story called The Superman to a publisher, but it would be another five years before Superman made his public debut. So how did Jerry and Joe realise their dream?

 

Lessons for Writing

 

They Weren’t Afraid to Start Small

 

Siegel and Shuster started out by working on their high school newspaper, with Jerry writing prose and Joe drawing funny cartoons. They even collaborated on an illustrated series of stories called Goober the Almighty which was a parody of Tarzan.

Lesson – Don’t think that your first publication has to be a book. Short pieces such as blog posts, devotions, short stories, poems, and articles for your church newsletter are worthwhile and can touch readers who may never see your full-length manuscript. There is also a Biblical precedent for this in Zechariah 4:10 (NLT): ‘Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin …’

 

They Considered Different Routes to Publication

 

Siegel and Shuster were both fans of the pulp science-fiction magazines of the day, but Jerry submitted a number of stories without getting a sale. Undaunted, they started their own mimeographed publication called Science Fiction, which lasted for a few issues. One of the stories they published was The Reign of the Superman, though that story was vastly different from the Superman we know.

When they came up with another idea for a superhero named Superman, they initially envisaged it as a syndicated strip in newspapers, as that was more lucrative at the time. However, they were also open to it being used in a comic book. Newspaper syndication came after Superman’s appearance in comic books and not before.

Lesson – You may have a vision for your book, but don’t close off other avenues too soon. You may dream of having your book traditionally published, but indie publishing is also well-regarded these days if it is done in a professional manner. You may have an idea for a graphic novel, but it may work better as a novella, or vice versa. This doesn’t necessarily mean compromising on your original vision. If you’re prepared to think flexibly about your project, and keep it in prayer, an opportunity might come your way that you hadn’t even thought of.

 

They Didn’t Just Have One Idea

 

Although they dreamed of having their own syndicated comic strip with Superman, they kept working on other ideas. Some of their other stories—including Henri Duval of France, Slam Bradley, Federal Men, and Spy—featured in comic books before Superman.

Lesson – You may have a pet project, but don’t let that stop you from developing other ideas. You never know which one will fly first, and you’re developing skills along the way. Besides, God is the Creator of the entire universe and He’s the one who gave you your creative gifts and talents. With His help, you’ll never be short of ideas.

  

They Tapped into Universal Needs

 

Siegel and Shuster came from humble beginnings, and were teenagers during the Depression, so they knew what it was like to be in need. It’s not surprising, then, that they imbued their superhero with an unwavering desire for truth and justice. Siegel puts it like this:

[Superman] was very serious about helping people in trouble and distress, because Joe and I felt that very intensely … We were young kids and if we wanted to see a movie we had to sell milk bottles, so we sort of had the feeling that we were right there at the bottom and we could empathize with people. Superman grew out of our feelings about life. And that’s why, when we saw so many similar strips coming out, we felt that they were perhaps imitating the format of Superman, but something wasn’t there, which was this tremendous feeling of compassion that Joe and I had for the downtrodden. (Daniels, 1999, pp. 35-36).

 

Lesson – Doesn’t everyone want someone who cares about them and will fight for them against injustice? As Christian writers, we have someone even better than Superman. Our God is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort (2 Corin. 1:3-4). He is the champion of the fatherless, the widowed, the prisoner, the lonely (Ps. 68:5-6). Jesus defeated sin and death on the cross (Col. 2:13-15)  and is our advocate before the Father (1 John 2:1-2). The Holy Spirit is interceding for us now (Rom. 8:26-27). What a wonderful privilege it is to share God’s love and truth with a hurting world.

  

They Learned That Waiting Has Its Advantages

 

Siegel and Shuster had their share of disappointments on their way to achieving their dream, but that dream ended up being realised in ways they could never have imagined. During those waiting years, they kept working on their writing and art, they submitted ideas and comics, they had some publication success, and they had time to refine their pet project. The Superman that was finally published in 1938 was very different from the one that they conceived in 1933. They had time to work on his backstory, his personality and appearance, the supporting cast like Lois Lane, and the overall shape of the story. It also appeared at the ‘right’ time in history, as Hitler’s power was growing, along with his anti-Semitic philosophy that would plunge the world into war a year later. What better time was there for two young Jewish men to create comics about a superhero who would always fight for truth and justice, and stand against the forces of evil?

Lesson – You may feel like your dreams are out of reach, but if they’re godly dreams, they’re on His timeline. As Mark Batterson (2012) notes, ‘God is never early. God is never late. God is always right on time.’ 

Do you have a dream for your writing? Why not submit it to God before submitting it to a publisher. Then see what amazing things God can do through you. Before you know it, your manuscript will be 'up, up, and away!'

 

Sources

Batterson, M. (2012). Draw the circle: The 40 day prayer challenge. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Daniels, L. (1999). Superman: The Golden Age. New York: DC Comics.

Further Reading

See the entry about Siegel and Shuster in Comiclopedia: https://www.lambiek.net/artists/s/shuster_j.htm

 

Photo Sources

Featured photo is from the author’s own comic book collection.

Photo of Siegel and Shuster is in the public domain; available from Wikimedia:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jerry_Siegel_and_Joe_Shuster.jpg

Author photo by Wayne Logan from WRLPhoto

 

Author Bio

Nola Lorraine (aka Nola Passmore) has recently come out of the closet as a middle-aged retro comics fan and pop culture aficionado. (Yes, she still reads Archie comics.) She has a passion for faith and social justice issues, and loves weaving words that inspire others with courage and hope. Her inspirational historical novel Scattered was published in 2020, and she has also co-edited the Christian charity anthology Glimpses of Light with Jeanette O’Hagan. She has more than 150 short publications, including fiction, poetry, devotions, true stories, magazine articles and academic papers. She and her husband Tim also run a freelance writing and editing business, The Write Flourish, from the home they share with their two adorable cavoodles in southeast Queensland, Australia. 

She’d love to connect with you through her website: www.nolalorraine.com.au

 

When you have no energy to write. What I’m doing to revive my spark.

 I let go of my self-publishing dreams two years ago. 

No doubt it was 2020, and COVID-19 was raging around the world, so my judgement may be impacted by that. But in truth, it was a decision that was building up for years. 

Life gets to you. And life really got to me since 2018, when I left the comforts of my day job in a dying industry to carve what I thought was a new, exciting one in digital marketing.

The struggle to establish myself in a new niche was more daunting than I thought. I endured toxic jobs, crammed massive amounts of knowledge and struggled to maintain a foothold in impatient corporations that were more than willing to toss you out if you couldn’t catch up.

As I struggled with these challenges, writing stories about spaceships and aliens faded into the background. The worry of putting food on the table and saving enough for retirement was all-consuming. 

And then the pandemic hit. I found myself without a job like thousands around the world (though of my own choosing — long story) and having to grapple with lockdowns, social distancing, isolation and family health crises. 

I wish this was a “10 things to do if you don’t feel like writing” post. But I have no easy answers except to share my experience as I try to revive my dying flame of creativity.

Overcoming my mental blocks

When I think about my space opera series, I still get twinges of the happiness I used to have when I first built the world. But the moment I think about what’s involved to get my work out there — the high editing fees that I probably can’t afford, the arduous revisions, the promotion and marketing I’d have to do, my enthusiasm deflates like a popped balloon.

Like most authors, I don’t enjoy these activities. Especially when your day job is marketing! You’d think that it’ll be easy to do marketing stuff in your free time, but this is like working all the time without a break. Fiction writing becomes work, not a fun escape.

It came to a point where I couldn’t listen to my favourite self-publishing podcasts — Self Publishing Show or The Creative Penn. I even told friends to stop sending me self-publishing marketing articles because all these were triggering the guilt and despair of not being able to act on my dreams.

Each time I open the pages of my unfinished novel, I’m filled with the crushing sense of failure. And pressure. So much pressure! The “musts” that invade my mind as I try to just complete the story — you must market this. You must advertise. You must, must must. My eye on self-publishing success, although I’ve given up on ever achieving it, is still ever present.

And I have so little mental energy these days.

My day job takes an immense amount of energy. So much so that none is left at the end of the day, and all I could do is flop on the couch, exhausted and turn on Netflix.

I feel like a failure for not even having the energy to pen a sentence. I’ve tried to overcome my mental energy problem with various productivity hacks, but no luck.

Times like these I reread Kristin Kathyrn Rusch’s article, When to Stop Writing where she says, “If you’re a driven person and writing has been at the heart of that drive, not writing is a terrible thing to go through. You can push through it—sometimes. But you can’t always. Sometimes you have to rest. Sometimes you have to let the brain adjust to the new reality, whatever it is.”

I would say I’d have to adjust to many new realities in the last few years!

Becca Syme of Strengths for Writers has an explanation for my lack of energy to write, saying that while life’s dramas fueled some personalities to write, there are others who are so drained by them that the creative faucet runs dry.

My writing retreat

I am the latter, and I’ve grown to accept that.

I’m in a much better place now, but the tough years of 2018-2020 still haunt me, and I am still burnt around the edges. Fortunately, I’m now able to live my ideal life while earning a good salary (touch wood) and I’m now working on reviving my dying creative flame. Here’s what I’ve been doing:

Putting aside the pressure to earn

I put a lot of pressure on myself, so I’m still avoiding podcasts that scream, “you got to do this or that to succeed”. I’m avoiding anxiety-provoking articles that yell, “If you don’t do this your books will never sell.” My aim now is to regain the love and sense of fun I used to have when creating and writing new worlds. I’m pushing aside thoughts of monetary success for now, as they don’t seem to motivate me but crush my creativity instead.

Allow myself to dream again

Not of self-publishing success but of my characters’ stories. I have a soundtrack for each one of my characters. Each time I put it on, my mind dreams up new possibilities for them. I go for long walks while listening to their songs, watching them live their lives like an observer.

Absorb inspiring stories

Some writers say that TV is a distraction and should be eliminated so you can write better. For me, TV shows and movies are food. I’ve been watching shows such as Star Trek: Picard, Dune, the Marvel movies to give me creative food to fuel my stories. 

Set my stories free

I have a feeling that I am such a rebel that I want to do things the opposite of what people recommend. The tried and tested method of being a self-published author don’t seem to appeal to me. I realise what fuels my writing is not just money (money is always nice, isn’t it?). It is community.

I began my writing life writing fiction online, posting them chapter by chapter in my website or online portals. Free. I used to get such a thrill seeing a reader comment on the chapter. This connection with my readers is something I miss dearly.

People are still doing this online, posting chapter by chapter in places such as Royal Road. Webnovels are hugely properly in Asia, and it’s such a pity it has not caught on in the West, because there’s such creative freedom in being able to write this way. Nevertheless, I’m exploring it despite the ardent naysayers, setting my novel free on the Internet. There are opportunities to monetise using this method, but I’m trying not to think about them too much right now.

Taking good care of myself

During the hard years of 2018 to 2020, everything seemed so uncertain. My future, my career prospects, certainly my income. During this time I really envied married friends who could rely on their other halfs to take care of the financial matters while they take time off to do something creative.

The burden of my survival lies solidly on my shoulders, and mine alone. So I put my head down to do just that. I was in survival mode, even if I didn’t realise it at the time. 

I compromised a lot. I lived in a cramped, roach-infested apartment because I could pay cheap rent. I ate junk food because it was easy and preparing healthy meals seemed arduous. I barely exercised because it was far easier to flop down on a couch and watch TV.

Late 2021, I started prioritising myself, starting with a 2-month sojourn in the lovely island of Penang, living by the beach. Then, I left my awful apartment and moved into a lovely walk-up apartment with really reasonable rent. It’s on top of a hill. Now, my mornings are filled with birdsong instead of screaming toddlers. My balcony has become a haven to rest, meditate, read and write. In fact, I’m typing this in my balcony, which has wooden floors and is surrounded by beautiful green plants.

I cook most of my meals now, taking pains to ensure they are not processed but are all natural. I exercise every morning if I can, taking walks on roads lined with old, giant trees.

Recently I spoke to a friend, who is on the same road of trying to get herself motivated to start her creative venture. Both of us promised to get our work out there this year.

That’s a promise I’m making myself this year — to get my work out there, pushing aside dreams of glory and self-publishing success … and to regain my joy in creating worlds again.

Wish me luck.

Elizabeth Tai writes Science Fiction as Tai Weiland. For more, visit http://taiweiland.weebly.com/

Never Give Up On Your Dreams

 

I’m a space nut and have a lot of books and DVDs about the space program, especially the Apollo era. (Some would say I’m just a nut, but I digress!). One of my books is The Mercury 13 by Martha Ackmann, which tells the story of a group of women pilots who underwent a series of tests in the early 1960s to see if they were suitable for astronaut training. These tests were the same that the male astronauts had undergone to be admitted into NASA, though the women’s testing was privately funded and never officially part of NASA.

Thirteen women passed the tests, some of them scoring higher than some of their male counterparts. However, they were never admitted into the space program. In 1963, the Russians launched their first woman into space—Valentina Tereshkova. It would be another 20 years before Sally Ride became the first American woman in space. Another 12 years on, and Eileen Collins made history by becoming the first woman to pilot a space shuttle.

By the time that Sally and Eileen were making their flights, it was too late for the Mercury 13, but the photo below shows seven of them at the launch of Eileen Collins’ historic flight in 1995. Second from the left is Mary Wallace (Wally) Funk, the youngest of the group.

Photo from NASA, Public Domain via Wiki Commons

Fast forward to last week when 82-year-old Wally Funk flew into space as a passenger aboard Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origins New Shepard rocket. Wally is one of only two remaining members of the Mercury 13, the other being Gene Nora Jessen. Her 10-minute suborbital flight made her the oldest person to travel into space, beating out spring chicken John Glenn who went to space at the age of 77. Click here to see some footage of Wally’s flight, and the awarding of her astronaut wings.

As writers, we all have dreams. It might be to pen that novel or memoir, win an award, have a bestseller, create a blog that helps people, or just have fun in the process of creating. But sometimes, it seems that those dreams are thwarted. We might get negative feedback that makes us wonder if writing is really what we’re meant to be doing. We might finish that book, but have trouble finding a publisher. We might get our book out there, but sales stagnate. We might hope to reach people for Christ with our life-giving blog, but few people comment. Should we give up on our dreams?

In 1 Corinthians 15:58, the apostle Paul assures us that our ‘labor in the Lord is not in vain’ (NIV). The Good News translation says that ‘nothing you do in the Lord’s service is ever useless.’ We may not always see the results we expect here on earth, but God measures success differently. Nothing we do for him is ever wasted. Our words can make a difference in the lives of our readers.

During the 60 years when it seemed that Wally Funk’s dream would never come to fruition, she didn’t sit around twiddling her thumbs. She kept flying and became the first woman to qualify as a flight inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration. A few years later, she became the first female Air Safety Investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board. She’s been the chief pilot for five aviation schools and has helped thousands of people to achieve their dream of becoming a pilot.

If God has placed a dream on your heart, work towards it, but also trust in Him. He will complete the good work He has begun in you (Philippians 1:6).

Dare to dream!

Author Bio

Nola Lorraine lives in southeast Queensland, Australia, where she and her husband Tim run a freelance writing and editing business called The Write Flourish. Their two cavoodles love helping, and can usually be found asleep under Mum’s desk or barking for ball games when she needs a break. She has a passion for faith and social justice issues, and loves weaving words that inspire others with courage and hope. She co-edited the Christian charity anthology Glimpses of Light; and has more than 150 short publications, including fiction, poetry, devotions, true stories, magazine articles and academic papers. Her debut novel Scattered was published in 2020.To find out more, please visit her author site: https://www.nolalorraine.com.au

Photo Credits

Featured photo of lion and kitten by Leandro De Carvalho on Pixabay.

Mercury 13 women by NASA, Public Domain via Wiki Commons.

Author Photo - Wayne Logan at WRL Photo.

Happy New Year! Or Is It?

 As we venture into 2021, what is our posture? Are we excitedly entering a new season, anticipating a great year? Or are we hesitantly creeping in, carefully edging our way forward, wary after the unexpected challenges that unfolded during 2020? I must admit that I was approaching the new year tentatively, rather than expectantly. I was challenged about my attitude, my lack of enthusiasm for the coming year and knew I needed to change my outlook.  

At the beginning of the Covid pandemic I struggled with anxiety, and I missed people, the freedoms we took for granted, and my regular activities (aqua aerobics, Playgroup, craft). But life slowed down. I spent more time walking around our farm, taught myself to crochet, spent more time reading and my garden has never looked better. And best of all, I signed a contract to have my first book published. As I pondered this, I was reminded of how important it is to look for the silver lining and to remember that God is with us, regardless of where we are and what is happening.

Maybe like me, you struggled to write during 2020. Can I be honest? I didn’t want to write this blog. My mind was filled with doubts and fears. And that is exactly why I committed to doing it. I knew I needed to back myself into a corner where I had no option but to write. I needed to be bold and step out of my comfort zone and continue to pursue my dream. If you too have been struggling to write, may I encourage you not to lose heart. 2021 holds 365 (well 358 from today) opportunities for you to begin again. Let’s check our posture and our attitude. Let’s determine to forge ahead in this new year, to pursue our goals, dreams and God-given destiny and continue to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard).

 

Janelle Moore lives with her husband and family on a farm on the outskirts of Toowoomba, Queensland. She has had devotions and short articles published in various magazines and books and her first book, a devotional for Mums, is due for release this year. She is blessed to be part of the infamous Quirky Quills. 

 

 

 

 

God's Ways and Ours

I love reading stories of God’s reality in our world. So this year, I hoped to submit at least one story for the Stories of Life competition. I believed I knew which story God wanted me to share. It was about moving home—a season when He’d taught me much about Himself, His love and His ways. He’d taught me then how to pray using the scriptures. He’d taught me how we can witness His power and His glory and I couldn’t wait to share it with the world.

For weeks on end, I worked hard on my story, refining it over and over again like an athlete in constant training before her winning race. An idea had been percolating in my brain on the next story I’d write, but God surprised me a week before the closing date of the competition with a huge dose of His love and I knew that that was what I had to write about. It didn’t take long to rustle up a 500 word story which I sent off as my second entry.

I was certain my first story would be chosen for the anthology. After all, I’d been writing for twelve years now and knew how to write a good story of faith. (Or did I?) Besides, God would want the world to know what He did for us back then. But … when the long list was announced, my eyebrows shot up and my puppy dog’s tail had to be tucked in! The story which I had persevered over for weeks on end hadn’t made it. Instead … the little tale written in a flash of inspiration—that had got in. Wow!

After the initial shock wore off, I could not stop smiling, because the truth bopped me on the head and I could finally laugh at myself. Of course! Silly little me!

• ·       I can hope for success but it is God’s will that will come to pass.
• ·       I could work hard but unless God blesses my work it is of no avail.
• ·       I might plan, but it’s always God’s purposes that will prevail.

Like the sun’s golden rays, Isaiah 55 shone light onto my path. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9.

My journey into becoming a Christian Writer had started after a series of failures in finding employment. Yes, failure was the springboard to my writing life, my dream life. That’s what God does. Failure in His vocabulary is often spelt SUCCESS! As soon as my first book was written, He found me a publisher—just like that. That was God! My second book on the other hand, took years to get published … I faced rejection after rejection from various publishers for eight long years! That was God too—He kept me humble and leaning on Him. Thank you God. Don’t you love it how He shapes us and grows us through life’s journey?

God has blessed me beyond measure as I’ve followed His heart in my writing. He has also helped me discover time and time again that in myself I have nothing to offer the world. I need the Holy Spirit’s help in all of my writing, because unless the Lord builds the house, we build in vain. Yes, God’s ways are rarely our ways; His thoughts are rarely our thoughts.

Where you are in your writing journey dear fellow-writer? Are you inspired and productive? If so I rejoice with you. Are you struggling with the delays and disappointments that have blocked your way? I know what that’s like. Don't forget that what you class as failure, might in His book have a bold title: “SUCCESS”. Being faithful to all He has called you to is what matters. In eternity, you will discover the fruit of your hard work, your journey, the relationships you have nurtured, your life. And you (and I) will be surprised—what we consider achievements here on earth may be just a small dot on the heavenly landscape while what we discard as failures may be what the Father delights in and brings glory and honour to His Name.

No, God’s ways are not our ways. And for that we can be thankful.

All that I have seen, teaches me that I can trust God for all that is yet to come.

I know your Writing journey must bring great joy to our Father’s Heart. 

Keep writing! 

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 see 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. 

Her first book Enjoying the Journey contains 75 little God stories that will bring you closer to your Creator. Her second book  Dancing in the Rain brings you hope and comfort for life’s soggy seasons. Her third book, Sharing the Journey is a sequel to Enjoying the Journey and will be launched on March 7th 2020.

Do stop by at her website Dancing in the Rain to say G’day!

Called to be Different

by Anusha Atukorala

Thank you Lord for our Dream Home

In May 2017, I thought it would be brilliant if I could sleep for a year, waking up to find our house sold and the three of us settled comfortably in a new home. And guess what! The miracle happened—I did wake up today in my new abode. Yay! However, I must whisper in your ears that those twelve months were not spent in sweet slumber. They involved plenty of hard work and plenty of stress. Thankfully as we look back, my beloved and I agree that it was all worth it. Every bit of it—the stress, the slog, the wondering if it would all work out.

Our gracious God has now brought us to our promised land and our cup of joy has over-flowed. What an awesome God He is! Being a nature lover, I’ve been delighted to see flowers of different varieties in our new surrounds. Delicate white roses adorn our front yard. More rose bushes grow in the little garden patch outside our kitchen window. For a long while there were no signs of blooms on those shrubs. My husband watered our new garden often to make sure it would remain green and lush in spite of the hot weather.

One morning we discovered that the extra watering had woken up the sleeping rose bushes. A gorgeous yellow rose beamed at us. Every time I looked out of my kitchen window, I was enthralled. Before long we had the pleasure of basking in an abundance of yellow roses. The bush in the middle though had not yielded any flowers. Shan watered it some more.

And then it happened. One day we spotted a little bud starting out on that middle rose bush. Exciting! BUT … surprise, surprise. It wasn’t yellow. It’s petals were painted a bright joyful red, with streaks of perky yellow creating a beautiful contrast. Wow! A queen of roses it was and it bloomed for weeks on end. With boldness it declared: 

‘I’m different and I’m glad to be different’. 

It brought joy to my heart in a way no yellow rose had done.

That striking red rose pointed me to a God of wonder; a God of beauty; a God of surprises. And more. It prodded me with a call to be different. God asks you and me as Christian writers not to merge with the world—but to stand out. To be as conspicuous as that enchanting rose in a manner that will glorify our Creator. 

But what does different mean?

 I believe that most importantly it has to be the inner me that’s different as I grow in intimacy with God. I am called to a life of purity and integrity, reflecting the beauty of Jesus. We Christian writers are called to write from the depths our walk with God, leaning on the Holy Spirit to guide us. Not necessarily doing what brings in material benefits but primarily being obedient to Him. The world’s way is to squash one’s competitors. The acronym CALEB (as used in the prize offered in our annual Omega Writer’s competition) stands for something unique: “Christian Authors Lifting Each other’s Books”. Isn’t that beautiful? What a contrast to doing life  according to the world’s modus operandi! I love it.

Jesus calls us not just to entertain our readers but also to help them to reflect on the deeper issues of life. He calls us not just to thrill and enthral but also to bless and build. We Christian writers need be different by standing up for the downtrodden and the weak, by giving a voice  to those who don’t have one. We are called to be salt and light. To flavour the world with our writing. To point to the Saviour.

Some of us write only hints of the reality of God and the reality of heaven. Others of us are more explicit. Whatever we write, we can be different to the world in the way we approach our craft. By praying before we write. By saturating whatever we do with His presence. By listening to the nudge of the Holy Spirit. By giving away a free book to someone who needs it, even if it means that we don’t make as much money.

We are called to be different because what propels our writing is not self-ambition and self-interest but the love of Jesus. We are called to be evangelists even if our writing is not explicitly so. The stamp of our Creator needs to be on each book we write—a stamp that may be invisible, true—but one that bears His heart within.

We are called to be different because the reward of our hard work might not always be obvious. Instead of world’s understanding of ‘success’, it’s in the joy of being obedient to God, the thrill of finding our writing has reached a reader’s heart, the knowledge that our words have encouraged someone and given her hope, the wonder of leading a stranger to Jesus. Being different might often cost us. But oh the joy of walking close to Him and writing as he leads. After all ... we are called to be different so we can make a difference in the world. 

But then ... I am preaching the choir aren't I? Celebrating each of you today knowing you have chosen to be a red rose amidst a hundred yellow roses today. Well done fellow-writers on your faithful writing. Cheering you on and joining hands with you. Let’s continue to saturate the world with books inspired by the Holy Spirit so we will fill the earth with books stamped by the cross of Christ, and are whispers of God’s heart to His world. 

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 see 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 Dancing in the Rain to say G’day. 

At the launch of Dancing in the Rain - 12th May 2018

Her first book Enjoying the Journey contains 75 little God stories that will bring you closer to your Creator. 

Her second book  Dancing in the Rain was released in March 2018  by Armour Books and launched recently on the 12th of May. It offers you hope and comfort for life’s rainy seasons. 

Available from:

Koorong Bookshop

The Book Depository

Amazon Australia

Amazon US

My website - Dancing in the Rain

Booktopia

Don't Give Up

A number of years ago, I attended Bible College. I was very aware of when our first assessment was due, but when the time came to submit it, I purposely made a quick beeline for the door.  I was literally terrified of the pastor reading my work. “I am not good enough.  My writing is not good enough.  I hate being vulnerable.  I am not spiritual enough.  I hate people seeing into my heart.” Just as I reached the door, however, I heard “Has everyone done their assignments?” Very reluctantly, I turned, and gave it to the pastor, my heart hammering in my chest, as the negative self talk pervaded. 

  Fast forward a couple of weeks, and it was time to receive our results. The lecturer began to talk about the assignments we had submitted.  He majored on one in particular, and mentioned how well written it was, etc.  I was sitting there, sick with nerves, and sure that I had not done a good enough job.  Our assessments were returned to us, and I could not believe my eyes! It was my work that he had been talking about! My work! The essay that I thought was not good enough! This boosted my confidence. However, it would be many years before I could happily let others see my work, without the awful nerves and feeling of dread. (I still experience this, but to a much lesser degree!)

A couple of years earlier, I had rather tentatively enrolled in a free mail order writing course.  For over a year, they sent me regular correspondence, and would you believe, I just filed all of it, unopened. It sat in my filing cabinet like that, for years! Eventually they stopped sending mail to me.  Not surprisingly! Why didn’t I open it? The same reasons that I used at Bible College.  I was too afraid.  Of what?  Failure. Inadequacy. Disappointment. Judgement.  Vulnerability. Despite all of these negative thoughts, a seed had been planted. Maybe God wanted me to write. Really? Me write? It was only a tiny seed, but it had none the less found a lodging place.  Just not a very fertile one!

I talked to a girl at Church, a number of years later.   Lo and behold she was a writer.  During the course of our conversation, we realised that we had a mutual friend, and the two of them were getting together regularly to share their love of, and to encourage each other in their writing. I was invited to join them.  And I did, very nervously and apprehensively.  They were both successful writers, who had work published. And they even studied writing! They graciously made me welcome and encouraged me. But who would be interested in anything I had to say? And what did I have to say any way? The same old fears resurfaced. However, with the encouragement of my very patient writing friends, I began to write a few short non-fiction stories and bravely submitted my work to different publications.  And it was accepted.  Wow! I was a published author. But still a very reluctant and fearful one.  As a number of years passed, my friends continued to nag (sorry, encourage) me. And I continued to write, albeit infrequently, and was very grateful to have more of my work published.

I am currently in the throes of writing a devotional book.  This has long been my desire.  One that has burned in my heart, intermittently, for the last 20 years.  It is exciting to see this dream coming to fruition at long last. My encouragement to you is to follow your dreams.  Persist.  Persevere. Don’t give up. Everyone has a story to tell. My journey has been very long and slow, and at times painful.  A number of times I gave up hope of ever achieving my dream but God had different ideas and kept pursuing me, and encouraging me through different people and situations. My desire was bought to life again, resurrected when I thought is was impossible. God has taught me a lot over the years and I am now more confident to open my heart and share things He has done.  I believe that we are blessed to be a blessing. And if someone can be blessed through reading something I have written, I am responsible to write what God has laid on my heart.   God is good and faithful.  Follow the dream He has placed in your heart.  He will use your writing for His glory, and it will be a blessing to others. Don’t give up!

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Janelle Moore lives in Toowoomba, Queensland with her husband and their two teenagers.  She enjoys writing devotions and short non-fiction works, often using her children and their antics as her inspiration.