Why I Write

I recently attended a writer’s luncheon at my church, where we were given the assignment of writing a 6 word poem about either our life story or writing.  Here’s mine:

God called

I obeyed

I write

That very morning, as I served on the prayer ministry team, a woman told me that God gave her a picture of me writing.

“Yes, and. . .?” (Hoping that she had visions of what I’m supposed to be writing, that I’m supposed to get published, that someday fame and fortune will be down my road. . .)

“You were writing.”

“And???” 


That was it.  Other than her free advice to self-publish rather than go for publishers.

Sigh.  Believe it or not, that’s the 3^rd time someone’s told me God told them I should be writing.  By the 2^nd time, I realized God telling you to do something doesn't necessarily mean it's going to be easy or fun or sorrow-free.

Take marriage for example.  Have you met (or perhaps experienced yourself) someone who God told them who they were going to marry?  Well according to some wise folks who know a lot about hearing from God, if God tells you who you're supposed to marry, it's because the marriage is going to be so challenging that you will need to remember God gave you a special word so that years later when you're miserable and tempted to leave you know God was in it all along.

God didn't tell me I was supposed to marry Scott, but God did give little hints, with 2 very trusted "good-at-hearing-from God" folks telling me I was going to get married right before and right after we had our "RDT--Relationship Defining Talk."  And indeed, in the first 10 years of our marriage--which were really really really hard--as I wondered whether I'd made the worst mistake of my life, I'd remember God's hand in it all and hope and trust and obey.

So here I am now.  3 different folks have heard from God on my behalf that I need to be writing.  And rather than assume it's because fame and fortune will follow, I'm assuming it's because I need that encouragement along this long journey.

So I write.