Why Write?

This is the question that I've been asking myself. I've been trying to build a writing career for years, and so far it has cost me far more than it has made. Very few writers make a living by writing. Most use writing to supplement their income or invest in writing as a promotional tool for other services that they offer, such as conferences.

So here I am, a writer by birth, still asking the question, "Why should I even try?"

There are two answers. First, I can't not write. I've tried a hundred times. I've really tried to give up. It's a very painful thing to face the rejection and disappointment that comes from failed attempts at a writing career, so I have tried to work "regular jobs" and put away all hopes of writing. But then I find myself behind a keyboard, desperately working on something that just has to get out. Sometimes I share it. Sometimes it gets published. Sometimes it never sees the light of day. But it always gets written. Why? I just have to write. It's how God wired me. 

Do I wish that He had wired me to be content in a steady paying job with insurance and no desire to write?

 

Yep. 

Did He ask me? 

Nope.

The second answer is a little less practical and far more romantic. There's just something divine about the written word. It's practically immortal. Even if my words are only read by a handful of people, that conversation becomes a permanent part of their story. It may not be a highlight. They may not even remember the experience, but it never ceases to be a part of who they are. That's a huge responsibility, and that's an immense privilege! 

Consider it for a moment. When I read Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, I am thinking the same thoughts that William Shakespeare thought in 1599. Now whenever I hear the word honorable, I think of Antony's speech. ("For Brutus is an honorable man.") It shapes how I respond to the world around me. It changes me.

I will never have the ability or notoriety of William Shakespeare. (And that's okay because I'm still much happier than he ever was.) But I can impact other people through writing. 

It may never make me a dime, but through the written word, I get to be a part of other people's lives, and if I'm very faithful and very blessed, I may just have the immense privilege of drawing other people closer to Christ.

So that's why I write.

Gearing Up

With our first monthly service planned for May 1st, things are getting real here in Jamestown. 

Here are a few praises from the last month:

-We have found an awesome worship leader who is willing to make the trip from Buffalo each month to lead the services this spring and summer!

-The drywall is up in the sanctuary and entry area, and we have another wonderful mission team coming from Tallassee next week to paint these ginormous rooms!

-We have signs!

Please pray for the mission team who is traveling to Jamestown from Alabama this week. Please pray that they will be encouraged and strengthened through this trip and that they are very productive during their stay.

There are many details that we have to get figured out such as lighting, paint colors, bathroom improvements, and childcare rooms. Please pray for wisdom as we try to make good choices that communicate a message of hope to those who attend. Although these decisions aren't especially difficult or weighty, it's a little daunting to make them alone, knowing that they will send a message to the people who enter this space. 

We have billboards that will go in April. Please pray that they will be received with interest and will pave the way for meaningful, personal relationships in the future.

The Long Run

So here's the thing: I don't run. 

I mean, I have run. I ran a couple of 5ks two years ago, and then I retired my running shoes because they seemed overwhelmed by the whole thing. Plus my legs hurt, but it was really the shoes. Seriously.

I love the idea of running. It seems super "I'm striving to be a good steward of my body" without being pretentious. The reality of running is where I get stuck. I don't think that God really designed my muscles for running. 

If you remember when Michael Phelps was the rage, you may recall the human interest pieces describing the ways that his body was made to swim. Ridiculously long arms and wide hands combined with double jointed ankles and short legs make him the picture of an ideal competitive swimmer.

I'm a lot like that when it comes to running, except the opposite. I have what I call "inverted bow legs". Other people call it "knobby knees", but what it comes down to is that my weight rests on my knees more than my feet. I tend to pull my thigh muscles really easily. 

But then we went to Disney during a runDisney weekend, and everyone seemed really happy about it. I mean, if you're going to run, it makes sense to run with Disney princesses cheering you on. While at the airport, we heard two women talking about participating in the Glass Slipper Challenge. It requires participants to run a 10k on Friday and then a half marathon on Saturday. That's just under 20 miles. And these two chicks seemed really happy about it.

I want to be happy, too.

So I decided to give it a go. It's about a year off, and there are tons of local runs ranging from 5k to a half marathon in the fall. I can do that, right? It also seems like a good opportunity to become friends with some real runners in the area. That can't be a bad thing.

Thanks to two talkative women in an airport with three highly conspicuous medals around their necks, I now have this on my wall next to my bed:

Writing a book was a very educational experience. The biggest thing that it taught me was the value of the long run. There are some things that just take time and vision. There are some things that are really hard and challenging, and they require constant refocusing. They may not bring the results that you hope, but the process -the run itself- is undeniably valuable.

I don't know if I'll actually make it to the big race at the bottom of my sheet. I don't know if I'll even make it to the half marathon, but I'm in it for the long run.

And if it all works out, there may just be someone who decides to do something crazy because they hear me talking in an airport. That would be pretty cool, right?

Several Quick Updates

We went to Disney World a couple of weeks ago with my family, and it's taken us a while to find our groove after getting back. It was a great trip, and we had a wonderful time with family. We've felt pretty isolated since the move, so it was a needed break with people we love. Plus, Walt Disney World is awesome!

 

 

 

The church plant's website is just about finished, and we cannot wait to show you! There are a couple more finishing touches, but we will unveil the site very soon.

 

We have received several "Prayers for Chairs" donations! One was from four families that attended the church that my dad served when I was little. It was a really beautiful reminder of God's faithfulness and the love He gives through His people.

 

We still have a lot of chairs to go, so please click here for more information.

 

I'm in the final stages of proofing We Win! I don't like promoting it myself, but I do believe that the Gospel is at the center of its message. I want people to know the amazing grace of Jesus Christ and how it impacts every area of life. It's really a great privilege to share that with others.

 

Edwin's job hours changed slightly, but the small change is making a big difference in our lives. Please pray that God will provide some good family time each week and that He will give Edwin rest. Obviously, Edwin is working extremely hard at his secular job and at church planting. Please pray that God encourages him and gives him strength.

 

We plan to start meeting with our little core group every week starting at the end of March before our first open service on May 1st. Please pray that God will bring the people that He wants to be a part of this community of believers. Pray that we will build relationships that will have a kingdom impact.

 

 

Understanding What I Know

We all know that there's a big difference between knowing something and understanding it. That's never more true than in the Christian life. Every Christian knows the Gospel, but from the time that a person gets saved until they pass into the presence of God, every day is a lesson in what the Gospel actually means. We're constantly unpacking the truths that we already know, which is why a passage of Scripture can hit us like a ton of bricks, even if we already have it memorized.

 

Today is one of those days when things are just harder. Nothing in particular is wrong. It's just hard. So today is an opportunity to understand something that I already know.

 

In my time with Him, God led to me to a passage that I've read a hundred times, but it was just what I needed to hear.

 

May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy,  giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.  He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:11-14

 

That's what I need! I need God's power and glorious might. I need endurance and patience seasoned with joy. I need a heart that gratefully remembers all that God has already done for me through the sacrifice of His Son. I need to keep living in the light, even when the darkness closes in around me.

 

I need to understand what I already know.

 

I am loved by God.

 

I belong to God.

 

I've been redeemed by God.

 

I'm qualified to share in the inheritance given to the saints by God our Father.

 

I have all of the resources of heaven at my disposal.

 

I am not alone.

Announcing...

The book that I've been working on since October is set to be released on March 15th!

The best way to describe the writing process is as "a joyous battle". There have been a lot of struggles in the midst of writing and editing the manuscript, but it has come together and turned into something that I am very excited to share. I have ordered the proof copies for final editing, and I'm very grateful for how God has used the experience to change and mold me.

We Win! starts by looking at the ways that Christ displayed His authority during His time on earth and gives us a glimpse of the kind of Kingdom that God is building for His people. The second part looks at how God gives us victory in our lives.

I am really very anxious to share this book with you, but I just wanted to go ahead and give you a look at the cover and let you know to get ready.

I've started a website with more information about the book, so please feel free to head over and check it out! It will continue to grow as we get closer to the release date.

Progress!

This week has been very productive, which is always a fun thing to report!

• We have secured funds for marketing the church plant, and we have started working to lease billboards in the area.
• We have gotten a bid and set a date for drywall to be installed in the worship space.
• We have another awesome mission team scheduled to come up and paint the many surfaces needing painting, as well as work on a few other projects.
• We planned with our mother church to have a group come and do some basic clean-up.
• Edwin spoke at a men's breakfast at our mother church and had the opportunity to share about what God is doing.
• We have organized a campaign to pay for new chairs and pray for their future occupants.

All in all, not a bad week at all.

That being said, that much progress requires a lot of time. Between church planting, Edwin's full time job, my writing, and the kids, every moment has been full. We're a little tired at this point, so please pray that God will give us the energy to keep up with His work and rest when needed. 

We are looking for families who would be interested in adopting a chair that they will fund and pray for on a weekly basis. Imagine for a moment that your prayers could mean the difference between eternal life and eternal death for someone that you've never met! I believe that prayer is incredibly powerful, and this is a really cool way to personally impact people that you may not get the chance to meet in this life. They are very real people who matter deeply to God. We're not looking for one family who wants to sponsor ten chairs. Our desire is to find 150 families and individuals who want to personally invest in one chair that will welcome one person every week. We want you to connect with people through prayer and become a permanent part of their stories. If you would like more information about our Prayers for Chairs program, please click here.