Kimberly Rae |
All of this I know. And I know about Asia, about the street kids in my book, about the missionaries who have their own faults and inconsistencies, about the color and life and noise and all the things that make up a foreign culture.
I'm certain that my years in missions were not for the sole purpose of being able to write a good book, but I see that being able to write from memory, from real experiences and thoughts and feelings, creates a much more powerful essence than I could have created from research.
So all that to say, those nebulous "they" people were right. Writing about what you know is more powerful. God is going to use what I know as the way for me to remain involved in missions. Despite not being able to go out there myself anymore, I get to verbally take readers there, introduce them to missions, to another culture, and to the needs of the world they live in. Then I get to ask them to get involved in helping rescue women and children around the world.
Who knows? Maybe some young woman will read my book, and God will use it to call her to overseas work. Maybe my book will result in women being rescued that I myself could never have reached. It's just a glimpse, but that would be a good answer to the question of why God sent me there, then brought me back. I know it's not the whole answer, but it is enough of an answer to remind me to trust Him with the rest of the question.
And He alone knows what He plans for the future, so I might as well stop trying to figure it all out and just let Him be in charge. He does so much of a better job at it than I do, anyway.
So I shall continue to write what I know, and let God use it however He will.
What about you? Have you ever been able to use your hardships to minister to others?
About the Author |
Stolen Woman, Stolen Child and Stolen Future by Kimberly Rae |
Read excerpts of Rae's Stolen books at www.stolenwoman.org.