For the last week and a half, I’ve been part of a blog tour of Christian fiction writers of World War II novels. We came together to honor the 70th anniversary of D-Day. I invite you to join the tour by clicking on the image above. It’s been such fun (and fascinating to learn about what motivates people to write the stories they do. With each of us it was launched by a story spark.
Maybe it was talking to an aunt and learning her war story. Maybe it was a documentary on Auschwitz. Maybe it was stumbling upon a nonfiction book about the Monuments Men. But for each of us there was something that launched the spark that blazed into a story idea.
That’s so much like life. Maybe you have a dream to start a crisis pregnancy center. Maybe you’re running the other direction, but God is making it clear you are the person He wants to move through. Maybe you want to homeschool your children, but you’re afraid to fail. Maybe you want to help more at your child’s school, but don’t believe you can.
One thing I firmly believe is that if God has given you a dream, He’ll give you the tools to do them. Notice I didn’t say it wouldn’t be hard. In fact, it often involves lots of time and a commitment/ willingness to do the work. Just ask any of the authors on this blog. Many of them agonize over each word. All of us long to tell a story that will make an impact after the cover is closed and the last page is turn. We have to work for that. Long and hard. When we’d rather be anywhere else.
I’m working on my MBA (masters of business administration). Don’t ask me why. My tongue-in-cheek answer is that I had an extra 15 minutes a day. My real answer is that I don’t know why God has asked me to do this, but His leading was so clear, any other course would have been disobedience.
Sometimes that’s all we have to go on. The belief that anything less than moving in the direction God prompts is disobedience.
Are you at one of those crossroads? The kind that asks why would you think of stepping out? If so, I invite you to take that first step of obedience. You never know just where that could lead!
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What a motivating message.,,but kind of scary. The idea of being disobedient if you don’t go in the direction God is prompting you turns procrastination from passive to active. Yikes!
I’ve definitely had times in my life where I have felt led by God when it makes no sense to do so. Pleased to say I’ve followed more than I’ve hung back BUT when I ignored those promptings and did my own thing? Oy, talk about disaster.
It is such a caution, Kav. I always say I’d rather miss God by trying to follow where I think He’s leading than because I sit back and refuse to try.
Wonderful post, Cara! Besides the clear direction to write to His glory, God has called me to babysit my new granddaughter during this later stage in my life. I’d imagined that childcare was part of my past, but everyday is filled with the wonder and adventure of seeing life through this most precious child’s eyes. It looks like homeschooling might also be in my future . . . a privilege and challenge I hadn’t expected . . and an act of obedience.
Each time those unusual directions–or I should say “unexpected directions” pop up in life, I ask what the Lord is teaching me in this new experience. I think in this case, the Lord is removing my “nose from the grindstone”–my habit and inclination–and insisting I slow down and open my eyes to the wonder of life He’s created. I hope I’m learning well! God bless you in all your endeavors!
Very thought-inspiring post, Cara. Great reminders about feeling prompted by God, and then acting on it.
With my writing, I often remind myself that He gave me this desire and so I must give Him my very best. 🙂