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| Robin W. Pearson |
Speaking Life
“Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls—
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer’s feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills.
To the Chief Musician. With my stringed instruments.”
~ Habakkuk 3:17-19
Yet. Such a powerful word, those three letters.
In this passage, it means “nevertheless” or “but at the same time,” and the minor prophet uses this little word to great effect. The tone of Habakkuk’s “music” moves from mournful to exultant, from a plaint to a praise. “Though the fig tree may not blossom…Yet I will rejoice in the Lord…”
As a believer, I know there’s power in the Word. It lives, breathes, and creates. The Word was with God; the same Living Word abides with and in us. We can rely on Him to encourage, exhort, discipline, teach, and love us (2 Timothy 3:16).
And as a writer, I appreciate a well-placed word, how it helps me wiggle a sentence into a paragraph, making it fit just so. A well-woven story not only connects characters and themes; it knits together readers from different backgrounds, cultures, and spots on the map by reminding them of their shared beliefs in faith, love, and family.
In my debut, A Long Time Comin’, Beatrice Agnew often wielded her spoken words as a sword; they cut to the heart of the matter, sometimes to the quick. Suffering drives her to use letters to convey what she couldn’t bring herself to utter. Prayer, contemplation, and faith—and some intercession from her granddaughter—season her thoughts with grace as she puts them to paper.
Habakkuk’s words, though they were also birthed from pain and doubt, reveal a conversation, not between him and his own sons and daughters but with God. He seeks answers, for he has none to give, and he approaches the Lord expectantly for a word of encouragement. One a fictional woman, the other a very real prophet, each in need of the Lord’s comfort and direction. Both compelled to write down the answers, to share them and “make it plain on tablets.” (Habakkuk 2:2)
These days when we’re facing so many unknowns, we can use some “fitly spoken”—and written—words (Proverbs 25:11). Folks are doing a lot of talking, but what are they saying? Consider their overriding message. Does it point to joy, love, and peace, or does it convey judgment, fear, and anger? In God’s eyes, the state of the union pales in comparison to the state of our heart. Our words should be a spiritual overflow of what beats inside, encouraging listeners and readers to trust in the Lord, just as Habakkuk’s words pricked the heart of God’s people Israel.
What words describe your life of faith? I can think of two.
Yet God.
A well-woven story not only connects characters and themes; it knits together readers from different backgrounds, cultures, and spots on the map … #seriouslywrite #tipsforwriters via @robinwpearson
Folks are doing a lot of talking, but what are they saying? #seriouslywrite #tipsforwriters via @robinwpearson
In God’s eyes, the state of the union pales in comparison to the state of our heart. #seriouslywrite #tipsforwriters via @robinwpearson
A Long Time Comin’
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| A Long Time Comin' |
To hear Beatrice Agnew tell it, she entered the world with her mouth tightly shut. Just because she finds out she’s dying doesn’t mean she can’t keep it that way. If any of her children have questions about their daddy and the choices she made after he abandoned them, they’d best take it up with Jesus. There’s no room in Granny B’s house for regrets or hand-holding. Or so she thinks.
Her granddaughter, Evelyn Lester, shows up on Beatrice’s doorstep anyway, burdened with her own secret baggage. Determined to help her Granny B mend fences with her far-flung brood, Evelyn turns her grandmother’s heart and home inside out. Evelyn’s meddling uncovers a tucked-away box of old letters, forcing the two women to wrestle with their past and present pain as they confront the truth Beatrice has worked a lifetime to hide.
Robin W. Pearson’s writing sprouts from her Southern roots, her faith, and the love of her sweet husband, seven children, and her dog. In her twenty-five-year editorial career, she’s corrected grammar up and down the East coast, and her debut novel, A Long Time Comin’, has earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Follow @RobinWPearson on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and RobinWPearson.com to read about her adventures in faith, family, and homeschooling.
