Welcome to another Fortifying Friday at Seriously Write. (Dawn here.) This is the day we invite authors to share their success stories or words of encouragement. Today our guest author is Ronie Kendig. I was moved to re-evaluate my own life by her words, and I have a feeling that you will be, too. Enjoy!Audience of One
Our world defines success by the most toys won. Or for writers: the size of an advance. How easy it is to struggle with our identities as writers, weighing our success against that of others. Yearning for more, bigger, better. But each time that lure of success calls out, God brings me back to a life-transforming principle: The Audience of One.
That term is thrown around a lot in Christian circles. Write for an Audience of One. Sing for an Audience of One. Edit for an Audience of One.
Yeah, yeah. I get it.
No, actually, I didn’t. Not the way I should. The concept is not about earthly success, which is where I’d pinned the value of that phrase. Not in terms of getting that first (or second, third . . . ), thinking, “I’m writing so the book will get published and reach people.”
A valiant, noble motive.
But what about God?
“Yep, I’m writing so He can touch their hearts.”
Yeah? What else?
“Huh? What do you mean, what else? Isn’t writing so the hurting can find healing a just cause? Writing so others can find God? Isn’t that what it’s all about?”
Niggling in the back of my brain told me it wasn’t the “main” point. For months I tossed the question around, until finally late one night, God opened my eyes through Jim Rubart’s brilliant book, Rooms. Jim writes, “God does not give us our gifts so that we can find meaning in success or power, but for the sheer pleasure of seeing His child use that gift.”
The greatest gift is not the contract or success (although they’re both very nice), but the true prize is the gift itself.
When my husband and I bought new bikes for the boys, they were elated! Helmets on, the twins rode for hours as I watched, grinning and finding joy in the fact that my boys loved riding their bikes.
Did they ride through mountains in France, competing against world-renown cyclists?
Ha. I’m lucky we didn’t need a paramedic.
But I was soaring with pride. My boys were riding the bikes I gave them.
So it is with our Heavenly Father. When you write, He soars! He grins and laughs. Can you see Him? He’s up there laughing, “Look! She’s writing—using the gift I gave her!” That’s part of His glory, His joy.
That freed me to write without worry, to think of God sitting in an easy chair, smiling and watching as I write. Finding this freedom isn’t easy but it is possible. First, accept God gave you the gift. If you’re mired in self-doubt, cast off those doubts. Trust what He gave. Then, embrace His gift and freedom. And lastly—thrill in this gift. Yes, write and be used by God, but remember the gift giver. You didn’t “deserve” it, and you can’t “earn” it. He gave it freely. Embrace it freely!
That term is thrown around a lot in Christian circles. Write for an Audience of One. Sing for an Audience of One. Edit for an Audience of One.
Yeah, yeah. I get it.
No, actually, I didn’t. Not the way I should. The concept is not about earthly success, which is where I’d pinned the value of that phrase. Not in terms of getting that first (or second, third . . . ), thinking, “I’m writing so the book will get published and reach people.”
A valiant, noble motive.
But what about God?
“Yep, I’m writing so He can touch their hearts.”
Yeah? What else?
“Huh? What do you mean, what else? Isn’t writing so the hurting can find healing a just cause? Writing so others can find God? Isn’t that what it’s all about?”
Niggling in the back of my brain told me it wasn’t the “main” point. For months I tossed the question around, until finally late one night, God opened my eyes through Jim Rubart’s brilliant book, Rooms. Jim writes, “God does not give us our gifts so that we can find meaning in success or power, but for the sheer pleasure of seeing His child use that gift.”
The greatest gift is not the contract or success (although they’re both very nice), but the true prize is the gift itself.
When my husband and I bought new bikes for the boys, they were elated! Helmets on, the twins rode for hours as I watched, grinning and finding joy in the fact that my boys loved riding their bikes.
Did they ride through mountains in France, competing against world-renown cyclists?
Ha. I’m lucky we didn’t need a paramedic.
But I was soaring with pride. My boys were riding the bikes I gave them.
So it is with our Heavenly Father. When you write, He soars! He grins and laughs. Can you see Him? He’s up there laughing, “Look! She’s writing—using the gift I gave her!” That’s part of His glory, His joy.
That freed me to write without worry, to think of God sitting in an easy chair, smiling and watching as I write. Finding this freedom isn’t easy but it is possible. First, accept God gave you the gift. If you’re mired in self-doubt, cast off those doubts. Trust what He gave. Then, embrace His gift and freedom. And lastly—thrill in this gift. Yes, write and be used by God, but remember the gift giver. You didn’t “deserve” it, and you can’t “earn” it. He gave it freely. Embrace it freely!
Ronie Kendig has a BS in Psychology and is a wife, mother of four, and avid writer. Her novels include Dead Reckoning (March 2010, Abingdon Press) and Nightshade (July 2010, Barbour Publishing), Book#1 in The Discarded Heroes series. She speaks to various groups, volunteers with the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and mentors new writers. Ronie can be found at http://www.roniekendig.com/.Website: http://www.roniekendig.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ronie.kendig
Twitter: roniekendig
Shoutlife: www.shoutlife.com/roniekendig
