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| Feathered Quill* |
Hey everyone, Annette here. This weekend I heard two songs in a row that reminded me of
a much less certain time in my life. The songs had the theme of finding one’s
purpose and knowing God’s blessing on that pursuit.
More than two decades ago, I couldn’t have told you what my
calling was.
As I listened to the songs, I thanked God because somewhere
along the way, He both showed me and equipped me (and He still does). I’m
guessing He’s done the same for you, dear writer, am I right?
How it All Started
Now I know my calling is writing, but I didn’t always know
that. The draw began much further back—all the way to my youth when I read The Outsiders and watched the movie. For
the first time, I saw the tie between a book I truly enjoyed and an engaging
movie where the story came to life. A spark kindled and though I couldn’t see
this far ahead, I began typing stories on my neighbor’s typewriter. You know, just for fun.
Then, as a young married woman I started frequenting the
library in my new hometown. Such a challenge finding wholesome novels twenty-something
years ago, am I right? You could, but you might have only a few authors to
choose from. So, I’d search the shelves and hope for the best. Now I know which
publishers I can trust, but then I had no idea. These days, there is a huge
market for Christian readers as well as a teeming marketplace of Christian
authors. Over twenty years ago, that wasn’t true.
God Both Gives the
Desire and Fulfills It
It wasn’t until I began to pursue God with all of my heart
that a distinct desire arose to participate in offering wholesome entertainment
to Christians. I’d graduated to a desktop computer by that point, and I
developed a couple trilogies.
And I clung to this verse: Psalm 37:4. You know the one:
Delight
yourself also in the Lord,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart. (NKJV)
And He shall give you the desires of your heart. (NKJV)
That’s when the equipping began. Writers’ conferences and writerly
connections. Making friends. Finding tools. Attending workshops, buying
software, and gathering books, lots and lots of books—both fiction and non. Going
on retreats. Fellowshiping with fellow authors. Critiquing. Growing and writing and learning and writing. And writing,
and writing, and writing.
Still writing.
Over and over God has shown me His provision, His
faithfulness. And He’s planted new dreams in my heart, new hopes for the future.
Looking back, I can see how God put all of those pieces
together. I’m guessing that if you took a few minutes, you could list some pivotal
moments when your calling became clear. I’m guessing you could also cite how God
has equipped you both through experiences and resources, yes?
It’s encouraging when we see God at work in our lives. And pursuing
one’s calling is in itself refreshing.
So, your turn. When did you first know you were called to
write? What dreams has God placed in your heart? Have you seen any come true yet?
Write on, friends!
~~~~~
Annette M. Irby has two published books and runs her own editing business, AMI Editing. She is also an acquisitions editor for Pelican Book Group. See her page here on Seriously Write for more information.
* Photo Credit: Feathered Quill by Simon Howden at freedigitalphotos.net
