Keep the Acorn Spinnin’

Photo from Noli Noli

Photo from Noli Noli

God has spoken to me in the past – not audibly but I could hear him in my heart. I have talked and written about that in the past.

The first time he told me that I had built a wall around my heart and I was not allowing him to enter – then he told me how to change that. I walked out of church that morning drove home and did what I was told.

The next time was a year or so later and I was struggling to find my lace in his will – or as I like to say , finding His will for my life. The thing is though, that I was not doing anything. Rather, I was spinning my wheels doing nothing waiting, as I have said for God to speak to me through a burning bush or a billboard or – and I really looked for these too – scripture references in license plates. I wish I was making that up.

You know because God always hides messages out in the open for you to see if you really want to find them, right?

Wrong. Well, wrong in the sense that I really don’t think you’re going to find God’s will for your life by staring at the backs of cars – for one thing that’s dangerous!

Eventually, I felt God telling me to get off my but and something heck, anything and just “pick a direction and go!” I have held on to that I even named my first blog “Pick A Direction and GO!” With the intent to try to help motivate people to get off their butts and do something, anything for God’s glory.

Both of those times were many years ago and I have had some hills and deep, very deep – center of the Earth deep – valleys since then. However, few moments the last few years that measure up to either one of them and recently I have been quite discouraged.

Discouraged about my calling – still, honestly, looking for what that really looks like. I have a pretty good idea – now – that it has to do with writing but that realization has been a long time coming and I am still processing that – as recently as today. Discouraged because the “Direction” that I picked was not flourishing the way I convinced myself it should or would. Discouraged that I may have, yet again, missed whatever it was I was supposed to see from my surroundings and my circumstances that God was trying to tell me to go do.

My prayers recently have consisted of asking God to confirm for me that, basically, it is OK for me to want to be a writer and pursue it as a career and not be worried that I am out to have fun or glorify myself but that I can write and give him the glory – after all HE gave me this ability why would he NOT want me to use it?

But in my heart, I honestly felt as though I HAD to write things that had a slightly “preachy” tone to them. Not because aim or want to be a preacher but because I felt that if I was going to be a “Christian writer” I had point to God in everything that I published.

So, this morning while I was doing my bible study, I asked God – again – to show me how to proceed – but not knowing how or when he would answer.

Well, several hours later while I was at a book release celebration for new book by Rebecca Waters titled, Breathing on Her Own – you check out her site and buy her book here or here – she told me that she had started out basically the same way – believing her writing had to be more “educational” than entertaining but was lead by the Spirit to write “Breathing” a work of fiction and all manner of things fell into place for her the way that ONLY God could have orchestrated.

I felt like the rope from a millstone had been cut from my neck? I drove home thanking God for opening my eyes to this new reality.

Well, new to me – He always knew.

So, I say aaaalll that to say this. Thank you Jesus for opening my eyes. Thank you Rebecca for inviting me into your world and sharing so openly – I am sure having NO idea – how your words would impact this “wanna be” writer from Temple Terrace. And last, thank you to all of you that actually read my posts. I have and always will write with you in mind – never forget that.

Stay tuned for some changes to this blog – its direction, focus and posts.

I am open to suggestions as well. Is there something you’d like to discuss have discussed or see talked about? Leave me a comment and I’ll see what I can do.

Y’all keep the acorn spinnin’

23 Comments

I’m so happy for you, Michael. 🙂

Good article, Michael. I started writing when I was just a little girl…and I wrote about whatever was the passion of my heart at the time. Fifty years later I am still doing the same thing. The hardest lesson we learn, especially for Christians, is that the person we are is the person God created us to be…and the best compliment we can give Him is to be ourselves. Just be yourself. If you are a race car driver, you just happen to be one that is a Christian. It will be difficult for you to write about your passion and NOT give Him the Glory. I am in full time ministry, having functioned as a ministry leader for 38 years…so my passion will be different than yours; hence my writing will be more instructive and informational. I have been reading Rebecca’s new book, Breathing on her Own, and, at first, it was very difficult for me. Not because it was not a good book, but because my life and reading have been bent toward my passion, which does not include fiction. Yet, last night as I was reading her book, it began to minister to me because of where I was emotionally and spiritually for the moment. It was not necessarily in the scriptures used, but in the emotions the mother, Molly, was experiencing as she realized that her depth and form of caring about her injured daughter did not translate the same with the rest of the family. I would have never dreamed that fiction could do that for me, for I have not read ANY fiction in more than 20 years. Sorry this is so long (my 500 words) but I just wanted you to understand that being who God created you to be, even if that is baking cakes, know who you are; be who you are…and then you can write about who you are in what you are doing. HE will be pleased.

    Joanne,
    Thanks for the great words of encouragement – I am slowly coming to accept all of that. I love that used race car drives and cake bakers – I deleted a whole paragraph (which would have blown up my 500 words 🙂 ) about a doctor I know that is a Christian but he’s not a “Christian doctor” know what I mean? It’s the same thing.

    Thanks again for the kind and encouraging words. Thanks for stopping by please don’t be a stranger

I love this Michael. I totally get it. I know that right now, in the midst of my healing journey and suffering, I am supposed to be writing and I am doing that. I sometimes get caught up in the “not enough people” are hearing my message, it’s not “flourishing” like it should, etc… but I have to remember that I am just to be obedient to do what God is asking me to do right now and to trust Him with the results. Thanks for writing. Keep the acorn spinning! #DontBreakTheChain

    Sherri,
    You’re an inspiration to me. You’re right about the obidience. God will draw the people he wants to read your words to where you are. IF we try to force it or make something happen on our own then it’s us and not HIm that is getting the glory.
    #dontbreakthechain

This is my exact struggle. (Well close to it) I’ve written for over 100 days now and only shared one of those posts on my blog, a couple more in the 500 Words group, because they don’t fit the “corner” I’m boxed in.

You’ve given me something to think about and pray about.

Thanks!

    Glad I could help Melinda. I don’t think you’re alone though – not everything I have written has been posted here or on My 500 Words. Don’t beat yourself up too much – not everything is meant to be published.

Michael, enjoyed this piece and this line in particular made me laugh in true recognition: “You know because God always hides messages out in the open for you to see if you really want to find them, right?” Thanks.

We keep telling people not to put God in a box, and we as his story tellers place ourselves in boxes. Just keep telling the story as entertaining as possible, right? Love your blog, Michael.

    Thank you Stella,
    You’re right and I never looked at that way before – we’re not supposed to put God in a box and we should not build one around ourselves either. Thanks, you’ve given me something to think about and a possible new post.

There is so much we learn from each other in this group. I am so glad the two of you got to meet in person.

I’m excited to see how God works in your writing, Mick. And, I for one, love your sense of humor. I’m sure God has a plan to bring us some of His truth through your wit.

GOD BLESS!

Wishing you and your family a wonder-full Easter!

    Sharon, I always appreciate seeing your comments. Thank you for the kind words. I am excited to see what God does next too.
    A safe and happy to your family this Easter as well.

I look forward to seeing what God is doing in you.
Last week I released my new book, “The Precipice: When Everything We Know Ends”. Never in my wildest dreams did I think God would lead me to write THAT. It’s not what I wanted to write, but it’s what God had for me.
God’s ways are higher, just be open to obeying- even if you don’t like it or it doesn’t make sense along the way.
I’m so glad I obeyed.

    Thanks TC – I am loking forward to that too. It did not make sense to me that God would want me to write fiction – though I know of plenty of people that do just that. Like the old song says, “Trust and Obey.”

      That’s a great song and very applicable.
      My book ties fiction with devotion questions and modern day events. I’m hearing people say that the fiction stories tied to modern events is helping them understand the world in new ways. Sometimes it takes fiction to get people to listen, to get their attention, and so on.
      God knows what will work best. Just trust Him.

      Trying – as always – to trust. Do you have a link to your book on your page? I’d love to check it out.

This is good to hear. My blog has two themes, well one really. It’s all about me. 1. Me, my messy past and how God used it to teach me grace. 2. Me and my nerdy past. I almost decided to separate them into two blogs but both reflect me. I don’t have to Christianize everything, besides the other stuff peaks the interest of a different kind of reader. Maybe the people that like #2 will read #1. Spinning….

    I think what you do is a good combination – Jesus went to the people that needed the help- the internet allows those people to come to you – and yours is a great redemption story that I am sure has helped a number of readers.

    Keep it up.
    Thanks for commenting – feel free to stop by anytime.

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