Virtues of March: Humility

Virtues of March: Humility
Author's Character Series
Net's Notations Tuesdays

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. (James 4:10)

Sometimes I'm tempted to list a passel of scriptures and leave it at that. Do you know what happens behind the "screen" over here as I bring up these virtues? (Like when I recently discussed patience? Remember that dog we talked about? 'nuff said.) *grin*

But, humility is key in regards to a Christian author's character. So, let's dig in.

Jesus gives us an example by demonstrating humility Himself.

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
(Phil. 2:3-8, NLT)

Humility lets you be yourself—a marvelous, one-of-a-kind creation of God.

Humility insists you walk out your calling and use your gifts, without apology and without pride.

Humility boldly represents God, knowing rightly our position: we are God's ambassadors in the world.

Humility has nothing to prove.

Humility doesn't strive for attention or compliments.

Humility is content to work behind the scenes and never be noticed.

Humility looks to God for acceptance and approval. He’s the Audience of One.

Humility partners with peace and rest.

Humility protects us from the fall pride brings.

Humility receives compliments graciously because humility embraces truth without impure motives.

Now, let’s consider humility’s antonym: pride.

Here’s a verse that can help keep our minds from skipping merrily after vain thoughts:

For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it? (1 Corinthians 4:7)

We’ll stave off vain imaginations by remembering we need God’s grace as writers—both to write well (craft study still required) and for open doors. Thankfully, God ties humility and grace together with a promise:

But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)

After studying this today, I could use that grace God's speaking of. How about you? Let's be intentional about this one. It's all part of cooperating as God's works on His authors' characters.

Virtues of March: Self-Control

Virtues of March: Self-Control
Author's Character Series
Net's Notation Tuesdays

One of the greatest truths I’ve ever learned as a Christian is that God helps us live for God. I spent a lot of my young life striving to live for God and failing miserably. I didn’t know I could ask for His help. I wanted to prove myself to Him, to show my love for Him, but no one can live for God without God’s help.

Grace. When we ask God for help to live a godly life, He gives us grace. And the Holy Spirit enables us to live for Him. He enables us to defy our natural tendencies toward sin.

How does self-control relate with writing? One word: Discipline.

BIC – behind in chair. If you’re going to consistently log word counts, you have to sit at your computer and type. Kind of obvious, but this principal requires discipline to carry it out.

Goals—set word count goals, and submission goals (i.e. for queries and articles, etc.)

Planning—prayerfully decide where you’re going and what steps are needed to get there, then discipline yourself to achieve your goals.

No excuses!

Part of self-control is not letting yourself “off the hook” from your commitments, your goals and/or your plans. Perseverance is required to push through all the obstacles.

Would you say your level of self-discipline is strong? If not, or if you feel it could be stronger, ask God for His grace. Then, listen. He’ll give directions which we must follow if we’re going to succeed. Those directives will likely go against our natural tendencies, but if we obey, we’ll see results.

The more you practice self-control, the more you’ll succeed, and like a competitor in a race, you’ll see the fruit of your training pay off with success.

Self-control/discipline is a sign of a mature author’s character.

Virtues of March: Patience

Virtues of March: Patience
Author's Character Series
Net's Notation Tuesdays

Okay, show of hands: Who cringes just a little (or more than a little) when the word patience comes up in terms of our character as Christians? Me! (My hands goes up.) I see those hands.

They say you shouldn’t pray for patience because then the trials come, but I have some news for you: you get tried either way. Case in point, I don’t remember praying for patience before my first daughter was born so long ago, but guess what? Prayer for that virtue to manifest in my life or not, lessons in patience began in earnest before she was even born.

So, since it’s unavoidable, let’s discuss patience shall we?

How well do you handle waiting, or disappointment, or irritants? I brought this up last week, but as I’m writing this, we’ve had our new dog for about a week. Busy little guy. Chews on socks, doesn’t always follow commands, barks at family members. In short, tries my patience. It’s like having a perpetual two year old.

Just when you think you have patience mastered, something comes along and upsets that belief.

Patience is directly tied to hope. And hope helps us bear trials patiently.

And not only this, but we glory in afflictions also, knowing that afflictions work out patience,
and patience works out experience, and experience works out hope. And hope does not make us ashamed, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us. (Romans 5:3-5)

As with so many fruits of the Spirit, we have to cooperate to see this virtue take root in our lives. I think one of the reasons this is so tough is because we think we have rights. Or we think we can control everything in our lives, then something comes along which we cannot, and we are thrown.

So, we have to remember:

~God’s in control.

~He’s working.

~He’s good and His deeds are always good.

~He is motivated by love.

~ A lack of patience is bondage, and it doesn’t glorify Him.

When others see patience in our character they know: 1) here’s a mature believer, 2) here’s someone who trusts God, 3) God must be real.

They are drawn to Him.

Patience is a work only God can do in us. This is isn’t the same thing as self-control, which we will cover later this month. This is a work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, shaping our characters, helping us be more like Jesus.

Okay, now that I’ve typed all that, it’s time to go pray for God’s grace in this area of my own life. Good news (I think): we'll get plenty of practice on this one!

Patience—a virtuous part of the author’s character.

And may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God,
and into the patience of Christ. (2 Thess 3:5)

Virtues of March: Peace

Virtues of March: Peace
Author's Character Series

Net's Notation Tuesdays

Our family just got a new dog. He’s two years old, a mini-dachshund mix who is timid about strange noises and other dogs. I’ve got a new command for him since his arrival with our family: Peace. I want him to know he’s safe in my arms. I calm my own heart rate, (dogs pick up on people anxiety) and I stroke his back and say, “Peace.” And when he settles, I say, “Good peace.”

Okay, so it’s a little unconventional, but it’s something I want him to learn—he can have peace. He can relax and know he’s safe.

How about you? When God whispers peace into your life, do you receive it? You’re waiting to hear back from an editor. You’ve done the hard work and pushed past the procrastination (fear of failure, doubts, fear of success) and handed in your manuscript (or query or proposal). Now you wait. Do you wait peacefully?

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)

Hear Jesus speak peace to us. He commands peace toward our circumstances (like when He calmed the storm and sent fear scrambling for the sake of His disciples). But He speaks it over us. When Jesus speaks peace, He imparts it to us in a powerful exchange, anxiety for rest. He is the Prince of Peace. But, as with salvation, we have a choice whether or not to receive it.

In this verse Jesus shows we have a choice even as to whether we “let” our hearts be troubled.

That challenges me. How about you?

Funny how timely this is. I’ve just sent in a requested full. Now I wait. Lord, help me choose peace. Grace me to hear the Prince of Peace whispering peace into my life. And speak peace to the storm of doubts which may come. I receive Your gift of peace.

Being at rest in His care (like our family’s new pet) is a sign that we have chosen peace. And that’s one thing He looks for in His authors. It’s a sign of a character like His.

February Fruits: Love

AUTHOR'S CHARACTER SERIES
FEBRUARY FRUITS: LOVE
NET'S NOTATION TUESDAYS

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,
but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
(1 Corinthians 13:1)

Love is a topic worthy of a year’s worth of posts.

The entire thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians spells out love’s virtues.

But let’s focus in on this fruit of the Spirit by paraphrasing the above verse for us writers:

Though I write with the eloquence of humans and of angels, if I don’t have love, I come across as annoying; I produce about as much lasting effect as a toddler banging on a cymbal.

Love infuses our writing, our work, with value.

Love motivates us to reach out to readers, to seek to minister to them.

Love directs our path to story elements which we’d likely avoid (as they’re difficult), if we weren’t directed by love.

Love overrules selfishness.

Love penetrates reader’s hearts with truth paired with kindness. That way it’s easier to absorb.

In the life of God’s authors, love coexists peacefully with hope (“love hopes all things”). Love and hope take hands and feed our aspirations.

Love serves.

Love trusts God.

Love is compassionate.

Love is not bitter.

As God roams the garden of our hearts, does He find love growing there with hope and faith? Let’s ask Him for a greater love for our readers. I believe God will honor that prayer for the sake of His authors' characters, and for the sake of our readers.

February Fruits: Hope

Author's Character Series
February Fruits: Hope
Net's Notation Tuesdays

Return to the stronghold, You prisoners of hope.
Even today I declare that I will restore double to you.
(Zech. 9:12, NKJV)

Following last week’s topic of faith, today we’ll zero in on hope. They're very closely related.

I’m a prisoner of hope. Not only in my writing life, but in my personal life. There are promises I’m waiting on God to fulfill. And I can’t let them die. I can’t ignore them, deny them, stuff them under the rug. Instead, I wait on God, trying not to quench His Holy Spirit (see 1 Thess. 5:19). In this way, hope holds me prisoner.

Are there promises you’re waiting on God to fulfill in your life? Are you hoping in God for a breakthrough in a certain area?

Here’s how I think hope grows in us. We hope for a breakthrough in God. He grants it. We praise Him and risk hoping for something greater. Our faith is stretched in the meantime. Eventually we see that second “item” or “event” happen. But what if we have to wait?

Waiting is hope’s meadow.

It’s in the waiting that we find peace when we hope in God.

Waiting requires hope.

Hope is a fruit of the Spirit. God calls us to hope.

And because we can’t let go of whatever it is God’s promised us, or we’ve asked from Him, we become prisoners of hope.

But look at that first verse above: the prisoners of hope are promised a double restoration.

Hope is a choice and a fruit. You’ll find hope where it was forced through the soil by a season of waiting. You’ll find hope where a blessing long promised manifests.

In the mature author’s character, God will find hope.

Are there areas where you need to risk having hope? Don’t worry, hope will not disappoint.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
(Romans 15:13, NKJV)

February Fruits: Faith

AUTHOR’S CHARACTER SERIES
FEBRUARY FRUITS: FAITH

Net's Notes Tuesdays

But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace,
long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness,
self-control; against such things there is no law.
(Galatians 5:22-23, ModernKJV)

There aren’t many fruits to harvest this time of year in the Northwest. It’s not the right season. In fact, it’s rather dead here, so far. But spring is on the way.

How can I say that? Well, God is faithful, and He promised seasons would consistently change so long as the earth endures.

And I believe God. I have faith.

This year on Net’s Notations Tuesdays, we’ve been discussing the fact that Jesus it the ultimate Author and He is working on our characters as His authors. This month—February—we’re going to consider the fruits of the Spirit and how they are part of our character. They impact our lives, bless God (if we’re fruitful), minister to other people, and influence our writing.

This week’s fruit: Faith.

Believers can’t get very far without faith. You can’t even believe in God without faith, right? But thank God, as soon as we reach out to Him, He grants us faith to believe. As you mature, you believe Him for more aspects of your walk with Him.

What are you believing God for? As God draws us nearer to Him, I believe, He plants His dreams in our hearts. We begin to long for the things of God. His dreams become our dreams.

But to see those dreams come true, especially in the face of trials or rejection or naysayers, we have to have faith.

So, on this journey of writing, of reaching others with your inspired words, embrace faith. As you wait on God, let God reassure you. He doesn’t mind bringing confirmation. He’s the Author and Finisher of our faith. He grants us faith, stretches our faith, tests our faith and rewards our faith. He looks for faith in us authors because He’s working on His authors’ characters.

Annette

The Author's Character Series

The Author's Character Series: Part One

Net's Notation Tuesdays

We fiction writers spend a lot of time on characterization, filling in our character charts. I love this creative process. Doesn’t it seem like you’re getting a taste of God’s role as Creator while you invent someone’s personality and history for your story?

But, while we’re working away on our character’s characterization, God is working on the author’s character—yours and mine.

Here’s what I mean—the process of writing, of living a writer’s life, is not uncomplicated. Inspiration, rejection, creation, disappointment, elation, and patience all fill our days. You meet an agent or editor at a conference. Though you have butterflies, you pitch your story successfully, and the editor or agent responds with excitement. They want to see your proposal. Some may even ask to see the full manuscript. Chill bumps chase you home from the conference as you prepare the perfect proposal and submit it to the agency or house. Then you wait.

And wait. And wait longer.

The excitement you felt at the conference wanes with the waiting. Hope dissipates with the delay. You try to focus on other projects, assuring yourself the wait is normal (because it is). But every day you check email multiples times. You might even go back and review your proposal and cover letter to ensure everything was included correctly. (I don’t always have the courage for this because if I find blaring mistakes I can’t change them. Then I have a new concern to obsess about. ;-) )

I’m going to leave you hanging here in the waiting process because I have good news: while you wait, God is working. He's wooing you to Himself, beckoning you to pray about your writing career, sure, but He also simply wants to spend time alone with you. He is refining your character.

Maybe, instead of waiting, you’re in the midst of a mad dash to the finish line—a deadline for a contracted manuscript. Same thing applies. I have a friend who was thrust into a writing deadline which tipped her world upside down. Raising a young family, homeschooling, and writing two full chapters a day will do that to you. (i.e. 5,000 words) She said the process really refined her because she had to totally depend on the Lord while battling migraines and typing her first draft.

God’s working on your character, on my character. From anxiety to quiet trust. From worry to assurance. No matter what happens, God has the situation in His capable hands.

For the next few weeks, I’ll be running a series on the author’s character—yours and mine. In the meantime, know that God wants time alone with you.

Watch for next Tuesday’s post when I focus on the character of Jesus, the ultimate Author.